Readers of my Susquehanna Footprints website may be familiar with a number of musicians and songwriters who were either born or spent a portion of their lives in Pennsylvania.

They include musician and Educator Hollis Dann of Bradford County, and Robert Lowry, who graduated from the University of Lewisburg (Bucknell University) where he later taught and became Chancellor.

In his book A Hymn is Born by Clint Bonner, he wrote that other names associated with the Keystone State were James McGranahan, composer of “Showers of Blessing,” Ira Sankey, “The Ninety and Nine,” hymnwriter Phillip Bliss of Clearfield County, Wonderful Words of Life.”

Another hymnwriter from northern Pennsylvania was Daniel B. Towner, who was born in the town of Rome in Bradford County in 1850. Phillip Bliss taught the district school at Towner Hill, Rome Township, in 1858, and one of his pupils was Daniel Towner. Towner had the advantage of being reared in a family of musicians. His father, singer J.G. Towner, had young Daniel reading notes before he was old enough to read the Blueback Speller.

After writing, teaching, singing, and directing choirs for churches in New York state and Cincinnati, Daniel Towner joined Evangelist Dwight L. Moody as song director in 1885. It was while leading the singing at one of Moody’s revival campaigns, at Brockton, Massachusetts, when he was 35 years old, that Towner chanced upon the theme for a hymn by which he has been remembered ever since. In response to Moody’s invitation for personal testimonies, a young man rose and said, regarding his salvation “I am not sure … but I am going to trust and obey.”

Struck by the phrase, towner jotted the words down and sent them to his Presbyterian minister friend, J.H. Sammis in Indiana, Sammis, a native New Yorker turned minister in the Midwest, executive of the Los Angeles Bible Institute and author of 100 hymns, wrote some verses around the phrase and sent them back to Towner, who set them to music. Also included in his long list of hymns are familiar songs such as “At Calvary, Joyful Sound, and My Anchor Holds.

He sang all over America and Europe for Moody and other evangelists. He was singing and directing singing at a revival in Longwood, Mo., on Oct. 3, 1919, and was stricken and died. He was buried at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago.

1

When we walk with the Lord

  In the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way;

  While we do His good will,

 He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey. 

Trust and obey,

For there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus,

  But to trust and obey.

2

Not a shadow can rise,

  Not a cloud in the skies,

But His smile quickly drives it away;

  Not a doubt or a fear,

  Not a sigh or a tear,

Can abide while we trust and obey.

3

Not a burden we bear,

  Not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly repay;

  Not a grief or a loss,

  Not a frown or a cross,

But is blest if we trust and obey.

4

But we never can prove

  The delights of His love,

Until all on the altar we lay;

  For the favor He shows,

  And the joy He bestows,

Are for them who will trust and obey.

5

Then in fellowship sweet

  We will sit at His feet,

Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;

  What He says we will do;

  Where He sends, we will go,

Never fear, only trust and obey.