Julia Harriette Johnston Grave

Hymn History: Grace Greater than All Our Sin & Author: Julia Harriette Johnston

“Julia Harriette Johnston served as president of the Presbyterian Missionary Society of Peoria for 20 years, and wrote more than 500 hymns.”
(The Cyber Hymnal)

The Origin of the Hymn “Grace Greater Than All Our Sin”

Among the great hymns of the Christian faith that celebrate the mercy and love of God, few express that message more powerfully than “Grace Greater Than All Our Sin.” Written in 1910 by Julia Harriette Johnston with music by Daniel Brink Towner, this hymn has stood for more than a century as one of the most beloved declarations of God’s forgiving grace. Its rich theology and heartfelt emotion have made it a fixture in worship, reminding believers that no sin is beyond the reach of divine love.

The Hymn Writer: Julia Harriette Johnston

Julia Harriette Johnston (1849–1919) was a dedicated Christian teacher, writer, and Sunday School leader. Born in Salineville, Ohio, she later settled in Peoria, Illinois, where her father, Dr. Eugene R. Johnston, served as a Presbyterian minister. Julia grew up immersed in church life and Christian education. For more than forty years, she served as a Sunday School teacher and superintendent at the First Presbyterian Church of Peoria—a ministry that deeply shaped her understanding of God’s grace and mercy.

Johnston was also a prolific writer. She authored more than 500 hymns, along with several books for young people, including Bright Threads and Jessie Carlton: The Story of a Girl’s Life. Her writing consistently emphasized God’s love, salvation through Christ, and the believer’s call to live joyfully in the light of redemption.

It was from this lifelong devotion to sharing the Gospel that “Grace Greater Than All Our Sin” was born.

The Scriptural Inspiration

The hymn draws its message directly from Romans 5:20, which declares:

“But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.”

This verse forms the theological backbone of the hymn. Johnston wanted to capture the overwhelming sufficiency of God’s grace—a grace that is not just equal to human sin, but vastly greater. She sought to communicate that no matter how dark or deep one’s transgressions may be, God’s grace shines brighter still.

Other scriptures echo through her words as well: Ephesians 2:8–9, Titus 2:11, and 1 John 1:7. Together, they proclaim that salvation is entirely a work of divine grace, freely given through the blood of Christ.

The Words: A Testimony of Boundless Mercy

Johnston’s text begins with a majestic picture of divine love:

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.

In these opening lines, she connects human sinfulness with the redemptive act of Christ’s sacrifice. The imagery of Calvary stands at the center—the place where God’s grace and human sin meet, and grace triumphs.

Each verse builds upon the contrast between human helplessness and divine mercy. She speaks of “dark is the stain that we cannot hide,” but answers with “look! there is flowing a crimson tide.” The refrain captures the heart of her message:

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.

The repetition of the word “grace” is deliberate and emphatic. Johnston wanted her singers not merely to understand grace intellectually but to feel its abundance—to be overwhelmed by it. Her hymn is not an academic statement of doctrine but a song of gratitude and awe.

The Composer: Daniel Brink Towner

To complement Johnston’s lyrics, Daniel Brink Towner (1850–1919) composed a melody of both grandeur and tenderness. Towner was a well-known musician and hymn composer, serving as music director for the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. He had earlier collaborated with evangelists such as D. L. Moody and Ira Sankey and had composed several enduring hymn tunes, including the melody for “Trust and Obey.”

Towner’s tune for “Grace Greater Than All Our Sin”—known as “Moody”—is noble and expressive. Its broad melodic lines allow singers to lift their voices in full confidence, mirroring the triumph of grace over guilt. The union of Johnston’s text and Towner’s music was first published in 1911 in Hymns Tried and True, a collection issued by Hope Publishing Company.

The Message and Its Enduring Power

What makes this hymn so enduring is its clear and comforting message. It does not minimize sin but magnifies grace. Johnston understood that the Christian life is often haunted by guilt, remorse, and the struggle to believe that forgiveness is truly possible. Her hymn answers those doubts with divine assurance: grace not only forgives but cleanses, not only pardons but restores.

The hymn’s language—simple yet profound—has given comfort to countless believers. It has been sung in revival meetings, church services, and funerals, always pointing hearts back to the cross. Its beauty lies in its ability to speak to every Christian experience, from the new convert amazed by forgiveness to the seasoned believer humbled by ongoing grace.

Legacy

Julia H. Johnston passed away in 1919, only a few years after the hymn’s publication, but her words continue to echo through generations. “Grace Greater Than All Our Sin” remains one of the most frequently sung hymns in Protestant worship, a lasting testament to the wonder of divine mercy.

It stands as a beautiful reminder that no failure, no stain, and no sin can outmatch the grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ. As the refrain triumphantly declares:

Grace, grace, God’s grace—
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace—
Grace that is greater than all our sin.