Just As I Am, Without One Plea

The words of this song, by Char­lotte El­li­ott in 1835, first ap­peared in The Christ­ian Re­mem­branc­er, whose ed­it­or El­li­ott be­came in 1836. The last verse is from El­li­ott’s Hours of Sor­row Cheered and Com­fort­ed (1836).

The music was composed by Wood­worth, Will­iam B. Brad­bu­ry (Men­dels­sohn Col­lect­ion or Third Book of Psalm­o­dy (New York: 1849).

1. Just as I am, without one plea,
   But that Thy blood was shed for me,
   And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
   O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
   
   
2. Just as I am, and waiting not
   To rid my soul of one dark blot,
   To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
   O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
   
   
3. Just as I am, though tossed about
   With many a conflict, many a doubt,
   Fightings and fears within, without,
   O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
   
   
4. Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
   Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
   Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
   O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
   
   
5. Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
   Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
   Because Thy promise I believe,
   O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
   
   
6. Just as I am, Thy love unknown
   Hath broken every barrier down;
   Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
   O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
   
   
7. Just as I am, of that free love
   The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
   Here for a season, then above,
   O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

The Story behind the song

Once again, a little history. Miss Charlotte Elliott was vi­sit­ing some friends in the West End of Lon­don, and there met the em­i­nent min­is­ter, Cé­sar Ma­lan.

While seat­ed at sup­per, the min­is­ter said he hoped that she was a Christ­ian. She took of­fense at this, and re­plied that she would ra­ther not dis­cuss that quest­ion.

Dr. Ma­lan said that he was sor­ry if he had of­fend­ed her, that he al­ways liked to speak a word for his Mas­ter, and that he hoped that the young la­dy would some day be­come a work­er for Christ.

When they met again at the home of a mu­tu­al friend, three weeks lat­er, Miss Ell­i­ott told the min­is­ter that ev­er since he had spok­en to her she had been try­ing to find her Sav­iour, and that she now wished him to tell her how to come to Christ.

“Just come to him as you are,” Dr. Ma­lan said. This she did, and went away re­joic­ing.

Shortly af­ter­ward she wrote this hymn.

About these words, her brother said: In the course of a long min­is­try, I hope I have been per­mit­ted to see some of the fruit of my la­bor, but I feel that far more has been done by a sin­gle hymn of my sis­ter’s.