Hymnologist Leonard Ellinwood says that “this hymn was written c 1880 by Ada Whiddington, about whom nothing is known. It was a favorite at the Keswick Convention, which was held every July international conference in England’s Lake District. Several books have given credit for the text to an A. B. Simpson.” The first appearance in a book was in Ira D. Sankey’s Sacred Songs No. 1, c. 1896, where it was set to a different tune. Fannie Bolton made some changes, and it was included in F. E. Belden’s Christ in Song, 1900.

The theme of the hymn is extracted from a longer statement by the apostle Paul, “not I, but Christ” (Gal. 2:20). Only as He dwells within us can we reveal Him in word, thought, and action (stanza 1); can we truly sympathize with others (stanza 2); can we really be humble (stanza 3); can we do all things (stanza 4).

Frances (Fannie) Eugenia Bolton (birthdate unknown) was the daughter of a Methodist minister and had literary training at the ladies’ seminary at Evanston, Illinois. She joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Chicago when she was a correspondent for a Chicago newspaper. In 1887 she joined the staff of Ellen G. White; her specified duties were to correct any spelling errors or grammatical mistakes and to eliminate repetitions in the manuscripts. Erratic, moody, and changeable, she became dissatisfied and discontented with her job; she asked for time off and studied at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.

In late 1891 Ellen G. White’s secretary, Sara McEnterfer, became seriously ill and was unable to accompany Mrs. White on her visit to Australia. Miss Bolton pleaded to go as substitute and was reluctantly accepted. Again she became dissatisfied and complained that she received no credit for “improving” the “faulty” manuscripts she was given to edit. As a result she was dismissed. This cycle was repeated twice more. Finally, Fannie said that she could not do this work; she decided to return to the States and resigned. She later confessed that she was unworthy for the task offered her, and regretted the trouble she had caused. She died at Battle Creek on June 28, 1926, and was buried at Eureka, Michigan.

The tune BOLTON was composed by Bolton and named later to commemorate her. It is a mixture of 3/4 and 4/4 time, so the committee left off the time signature, allowing the quarter and half notes to have their regular value throughout.

📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.