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Almost Persuaded
Public Domain Old-Time, Bluegrass Gospel by Philip Bliss 1871;
ARTIST: Philip Bliss 1871
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel;
DATE: 1871 Bliss; First Recorded in 1897 J.J. Fisher Ber 1767; 1927 by Hugh Gibbs string Band; Frank Welling & John McGhee 1931
RECORDING INFO: Almost Persuaded [Me III-E 29] - Bliss, Philip P.
Benziger, Barbara; & Eleanor Dickinson (eds.) / That Old-Time Religion, Harper & Row, Sof (1975), p 7
Carter, Wilf (Montana Slim). Montana Slim, All Time Favorites, RCA (Victor) DVL 1-0584, LP (1982), trk# B.09
OTHER NAMES:
SOURCES: Folk Index; Meade
NOTES: The Gospel song, "Almost Persuaded" was written by Phillip P. Bliss in 1871.
Philip Paul Bliss was born in Clearfield County, PA on 9 July 1838 to the parents of Isaac Bliss (1757-1864) and Lydia Dolittle. He had three sisters: Phoebe, Reliance, and Elizabeth; and one brother: James D. He married on 1 June 1859 to Lucy J. Young and they had two children. He died, in a train wreck with his wife, on 29 December 1876 in Ashtabula, OH, at the age of 38. He occasionaly used the pseudonym of Pro Phundo Basso. He was a contemporary of, and fellow Normal Musical Institute singer with, George Frederick Root, Frederic Woodman Root, and Thomas Martin Towne.
His most popular song was Hold the Fort! (1870) which was based on the events of a Civil War battle in October 1864 near Atlanta, GA. He is especially noted for his hymns and character songs. Among his most popular hymns were I Am So Glad, Daniel's Band, More to Follow, Free From the Law, Whosoever Will, Man of Sorrows, Almost Persuaded, I Know Not the Hour, and Meet Me at the Fountain.
The Rev. Mr. Brundage tells the origin of this hymn. In a sermon preached by him many years ago, the closing words were:
"He who is almost persuaded is almost saved, but to be almost saved is to be entirely lost." Mr. Bliss, being in the audience, was impressed with the thought, and immediately set about the composition of what proved one of his most popular songs, deriving his inspiration from the sermon of his friend, Mr. Brundage." Memoir of Bliss
ALMOST PERSUADED- Phillip P. Bliss 1871
"Almost persuaded" now to believe
"Almost persuaded" Christ to receive
Seems now some soul to say
"Go, Spirit, go Thy way
Some more convenient day
On Thee I'll call."
"Almost persuaded," come, come today
"Almost persuaded," turn not away
Jesus invites you here
Angels are lingering near
Prayers rise from hearts so dear
O wanderer, come!
"Almost persuaded," harvest is past!
"Almost persuaded," doom comes at last!
"Almost" cannot avail
"Almost" is but to fail!
Sad, sad, that bitter wail
"Almost," but lost!
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