At one of Dwight L. Moody’s evangelistic meetings in Brockton, Massachusetts, a young man stood and gave his testimony with these words: I am going to trust, and I am going to obey.” Daniel Brink Towner (1850-1919), who was a soloist at the meeting, was impressed by these words. He jotted them down and sent them with the story of the incident to John H. Sammis. The latter wrote the words of the refrain first, then added the five stanzas and sent them to Towner. The words of the refrain summarize the thrust of the whole hymn, which first appeared in Hymns Old and New, 1887.

Sammis was born in Brooklyn, New York, on July 6, 1846. He became a successful businessman in Logansport, Indiana, as well as an active layman in the church. He gave up his business career to become the secretary of the YMCA, and later felt the urge to become a minister. He followed the call, completed a study course, and in 1880 was ordained to the Presbyterian ministry. He served in Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, and Missouri, and then in 1901 transferred to California. He taught in the Los Angeles Bible Institute until his death on June 12, 1919.

Towner composed the tune, a typical gospel song tune, employing just three chords, with the exception of a change of key in the refrain. Towner also contributed two other tunes to SDAH, all unnamed: No. 109 to the words “Marvelous Grace” and No. 508 to the words “Anywhere With Jesus,” the tune sometimes called SECURITY.