Just As I Am

DESCRIPTION: "Just as I am, without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me... O lamb of God, I come, I come." "Just as I am, and waiting not, To rid my soul of one dark blot." "Just as I am, though tossed about....."
AUTHOR: Words: Charlotte Elliott (1789-1871) / Music: William B. Bradbury (1816-1868)
EARLIEST DATE: 1834 (source: Johnson)
KEYWORDS: religious nonballad
FOUND IN: US(Ap)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Heart-Songs, p. 77, "Just As I Am" (1 text, 1 tune)
ADDITIONAL: Charles Johnson, One Hundred and One Famous Hymns (Hallberg, 1982), p. 163, "Just As I Am" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #V36124
RECORDINGS:
Arthur Alligood, "Just as I Am" (Fragment: Piotr-Archive #266, recorded 09/26/2022)
Artricia Gordon, Katrina Esocoff, "Just as I Am" (Piotr-Archive #373, recorded 11/26/2022)
NOTES [182 words]: For background on William B. Bradbury, see the notes to "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us."
According to Johnson, p. 162, Charlotte Elliott "in 1821... fell seriously ill and remained an invalid until she passed away fifty years later." Her basic problem seems to have been fatigue. One suspects that might have influenced the first line of this song, first published in The Invalid's Hymn-Book (one of her four hymn-books, obviously influenced by her physical condition).
According to John Julian, editor, A Dictionary of Hymnology, 1892; second edition 1907 (I use the 1957 Dover edition in two volumes), p. 328, "Her hymns number about 150, a large percentage of which are in C. U. The finest and most widely known of these are, 'Just as I am,' and 'My God, my Father, while I stray.' Her verse is characterized by tenderness of feeling, plaintive simplicity, deep devotion, and perfect rhythm. For those in sickness and sorrow she has sung as few others have." Julian lists 24 of her other hymns as being still occasionally used. I personally didn't recognize any of those titles. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.7
File: RcJuAIA

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