Nothing Between

One of my pastors posted the words to this hymn on a Facebook note this morning and tagged me. I told him I just had to post it here. I remember folks singing this often in the church I grew up in; it was beloved then and no doubt still is in many of the old churches from my culture.

These words were penned by a man named Charles Tindley. He comes from a slavery background--one of my sources says he was born to slave parents, but Wikipedia says his father was a slave but his mother was free and that he was considered to be free. However, according to that article, he grew up among slaves. According to one of my sources, he taught himself to read and write when he was 17 and completed seminary training through correspondence. This man eventually ended up in Philadelphia and became the janitor of a church there. He continued his education while a janitor, eventually earning a doctorate. In due time, he became the pastor of that same church of which he had been janitor. Crowds of all races came to hear this humble man, I've heard, so that larger sanctuaries eventually needed to be built. It sounds to me that if I want to teach my children and grandchildren some success stories, one would be a story like his, rather than about some of the more famous personalities we often read and hear about.

One thing is for sure. Mr. Tindley did not grovel in his unfortunate circumstances, but set his heart and life on the One who could give him true success. Success in this life can only be through Christ, and he knew it. Of his many hymns, this is perhaps my favorite. There are a few others I like very much also.

As we meditate on these words, we should think about the words of Romans 12:1-2. It seems to me that this dear writer had an appreciation and longing for that truth in his own life that we are not to be conformed to this world. Amen, Mr. Tindley. May the Lord Almighty help his saints of today, severely challenged as we are, to have the same longing as this saint from a time gone by.

Nothing between my soul and my Savior,
Naught of this world’s delusive dream;
I have renounced all sinful pleasure;
Jesus is mine, there’s nothing between.

Nothing between, like worldly pleasure;
Habits of life, though harmless they seem;
Must not my heart from Him ever sever;
He is my all, there’s nothing between.

Nothing between, like pride or station;
Self or friends shall not intervene;
Though it may cost me much tribulation,
I am resolved, there’s nothing between.

Nothing between, e’en many hard trials,
Though the whole world against me convene;
Watching with prayer and much self denial,
I’ll triumph at last, there’s nothing between.

Refrain:
Nothing between my soul and my Savior,
So that His blessed face may be seen;
Nothing preventing the least of His favor;
Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.

~Charles A. Tindley (1851-1933)

I always remember it sung with a great deal of inflection and emotion and the tune is quite lovely. I found this video with someone playing it quite simply on the guitar. I wanted you to have an idea what it sounds like if you didn't know.