Sermon--Almost Persuaded

 Research the gospel hymn "Almost Persuaded". Report the lyrics and analyze the spiritual implications of the lyrics.

 

The gospel hymn "Almost Persuaded" is one of the most sobering and haunting "invitation hymns" in the history of Christian music.¹ Written and composed by Philip P. Bliss in 1871, it was inspired by a sermon Bliss heard from a Rev.² Brundage.

The preacher ended his sermon with a line that struck Bliss to the core: "He who is almost persuaded is almost saved; but to be almost saved is to be entirely lost."³

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The Lyrics

Verse 1

"Almost persuaded" now to believe;

"Almost persuaded" Christ to receive;4

Seems now some soul to say,

"Go, Spirit, go Thy way,5

Some more convenient day

On Thee I’ll call."+1

Verse 2

"Almost persuaded," come, come today;6

"Almost persuaded," turn not away;7

Jesus invites you here,8

Angels are lingering near,

Prayers rise from hearts so dear;9

O wanderer, come!+2

Verse 3

"Almost persuaded," harvest is past!10

"Almost persuaded," doom comes at last!11

"Almost" cannot avail;12

"Almost" is but to fail!13

Sad, sad, that bitter wail—

"Almost," but lost!+3

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Spiritual Analysis and Implications

The hymn is a direct commentary on the tragic distance between intellectual assent and spiritual surrender.¹⁴

1. The Danger of Procrastination (Verse 1)

The first verse captures the human tendency to delay spiritual decisions.¹⁵ The phrase "some more convenient day" is a direct reference to Acts 24:25 (KJV), where Governor Felix, trembling under Paul’s preaching, says: "Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee."¹⁶

• Implication: Spiritual conviction (feeling "persuaded") is not the same as salvation. One can feel the Holy Spirit moving but dismiss the "nudge" in favor of future comfort, effectively saying "not now" to God.¹⁷

2. The Weight of Opportunity (Verse 2)¹⁸

This verse emphasizes the presence of spirit¹⁹ual support—Jesus inviting, angels watching, and people praying.²⁰ It suggests that salvation is an "open door" that is currently accessible but requires an active step from the "wanderer."

• Implication: Opportunity creates responsibility. To be "almost" persuaded implies that the truth has been presented and understood, making the refusal to act a deliberate choice rather than a result of ignorance.

3. The Binary Nature of Salvation (Verse 3)

The final verse is the most famous and feared. It reflects the realization that in eternity, there is no "participation trophy" for coming close to faith.

• "Harvest is past": A reference to Jeremiah 8:20 (KJV): "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved."²¹

• "Almost is but to fail": This is the central spiritual thesis.²² Just as a person who almost catches a flight is still left at the gate, a person who is "almost" a Christian is entirely outside of Christ.²³

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Biblical Correlation: King Agrippa

The hymn’s title comes directly from the King James Version of Acts 26:28:²⁴

"Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian."²⁵

Paul’s response in the next verse [Acts 26:29] reveals the heart of the hymn: "I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am..."²⁶

• The Agrippa Syndrome: This is the state of being "impressed but not transformed." Agrippa recognized the truth in Paul's words but was unwilling to sacrifice his royal status, his lifestyle, or his political standing to follow a "carpenter from Nazareth."

Summary Table: The "Almost" Trap

The Hymn Phrase	Biblical Warning	Spiritual Reality
"Go, Spirit, go Thy way"	Acts 24:25 (Felix)	Resisting the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
"More convenient day"	Proverbs 27:1	Boasting of tomorrow when tomorrow isn't promised.
"Harvest is past"	Jeremiah 8:20	The closing of the window of opportunity.
"Almost, but lost"	Matthew 7:21-23	Recognition of God without a relationship with Him.

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Would you like me to research the tragic story of how Philip Bliss died, which many believe added a prophetic weight to the urgency of his lyrics?

The death of Philip P. Bliss is one of the most tragic and legendary stories in American hymnody. It occurred only five years after he wrote "Almost Persuaded," and to many, the circumstances of his passing turned the song’s warning about the "closing window of opportunity" into a haunting reality.

The Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster

On December 29, 1876, Bliss and his wife, Lucy, were traveling by train from Pennsylvania to Chicago.¹ Bliss was scheduled to sing at a major evangelistic meeting led by his close friend, the famous preacher D.L. Moody.²

As the train, known as the Pacific Express, crossed an iron bridge over the Ashtabula River in Ohio during a fierce blizzard, the bridge suddenly collapsed.³ All but the lead locomotive plunged 60 to 70 feet into an icy ravine.⁴

The Heroic Final Moments

Bliss survived the initial fall.⁵ Accounts from the disaster state that he managed to crawl through a broken window to safety.⁶ However, when he realized his wife was still trapped inside the wreckage, which had been set ablaze by the train's heating stoves and oil lanterns, he crawled back into the inferno in a desperate attempt to rescue her.⁷

Both Philip and Lucy perished in the fire.⁸ Their bodies were never recovered; they were among the many victims whose remains were "consumed entirely by the flames."⁹ Philip Bliss was only 38 years old.¹⁰

The "Prophetic Weight"

The tragedy added a profound, somber weight to Bliss’s music for several reasons:

• The Found Manuscript: Miraculously, a trunk belonging to Bliss was found in the wreckage (or had been sent on a different train, accounts vary).¹¹ Inside was the manuscript for a new hymn he had just written: "I Will Sing of My Redeemer." The lyrics—"I will sing of my Redeemer and His wondrous love to me; on the cruel cross He suffered, from the curse to set me free"—became his final testimony.¹²

• The Urgency of "Almost": Because Bliss died so suddenly and at such a young age, the message of "Almost Persuaded" took on a new level of gravity. The hymn warns that "doom comes at last" and that one should not wait for a "more convenient day." His death served as a stark, living illustration that the "convenient day" may never come.

• Total Surrender: Shortly before his death, Bliss had told friends that he was making a "complete surrender" of his life and ambitions to serve God’s work fully.¹³ The fact that his life ended so soon after this total commitment moved the Christian community, reinforcing the idea that one must be "altogether" committed to their faith, as tomorrow is not promised.

In the wake of the disaster, D.L. Moody wept openly for his friend, and the hymn "Almost Persuaded" became even more central to revival meetings as a plea for immediate decision before it is too late.

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Would you like me to find the lyrics to the hymn found in his trunk, "I Will Sing of My Redeemer," to see how its tone compares to "Almost Persuaded"?

The lyrics to "I Will Sing of My Redeemer," found in Philip Bliss's belongings after the tragic train disaster, provide a triumphant "answer" to the somber warning of "Almost Persuaded." While Bliss wrote the words, the music was later composed by his friend James McGranahan, as Bliss did not live to set them to a melody.

The Lyrics: "I Will Sing of My Redeemer"

Verse 1

I will sing of my Redeemer,

And His wondrous love to me;

On the cruel cross He suffered,

From the curse to set me free.

Chorus

Sing, oh, sing, of my Redeemer,

With His blood, He purchased me;

On the cross, He sealed my pardon,

Paid the debt, and made me free.

Verse 2

I will tell the wondrous story,

How my lost estate to save,

In His boundless love and mercy,

He the ransom freely gave.

Verse 3

I will praise my dear Redeemer,

His triumphant power I’ll tell,

How the victory He giveth

Over sin, and death, and hell.

Verse 4

I will sing of my Redeemer,

And His heavenly love to me;

He from death to life hath brought me,

Son of God with Him to be.

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Comparative Analysis: A Study in Spiritual Contrast

The two hymns represent the two "poles" of the 19th-century revival movement: the fear of loss and the assurance of salvation.

Feature	"Almost Persuaded"	"I Will Sing of My Redeemer"
Tone	Somber, urgent, and cautionary.	Jubilant, triumphant, and certain.
Central Focus	The Man (The one who is "almost" deciding).	The Redeemer (The one who has already finished the work).
Key Emotion	Anxiety and "bitter wail."	Joy and "victory."
The "Moment"	The terrifying moment of rejection.	The glorious moment of redemption.
The Outcome	"Almost, but lost!"	"Paid the debt, and made me free."

The "Prophetic" Connection

The transition between these two songs captures the essence of Bliss’s final days.

1. The Reality of Death: In "Almost Persuaded," Bliss warns that "doom comes at last." At the Ashtabula River, that doom was literal and physical. The "convenient day" he warned others not to wait for was a day he himself was not granted.

2. The Victory over the Inferno: In "I Will Sing of My Redeemer," Bliss speaks of victory over "death and hell." Witnesses at the train disaster noted that as Bliss realized he could not save his wife and chose to stay with her in the flames, he did not die as one "almost" persuaded. He died as one who believed he was "brou¹ght from death to life."²

3. The Song "Found": There is a beautiful irony here regarding your earlier mention of people dy³ing with the "song still in them." Though Bliss died in a horrific accident, his "song" was literally found in the wreckage. He didn't take the music to his grave; he left the "wondrous story" behind for others to sing.

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