Story Behind the Song

“Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross;

Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss.

From victory unto victory His army shall He lead,

Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.”

Inspired by the dying words of a Presbyterian colleague and friend, George Duffield composed the poem “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus”, which became one of the most recognized hymns in the world.

Dudley A. Tyng, exiled from his own congregation for his anti-slavery beliefs, began to preach to large crowds sponsored by the YMCA, and led a revival in Philadelphia early in 1858. In March of that year, more than 5,000 men gathered to hear 29-year-old Tyng, and more than 1,000 responded to an altar call after a sermon called one of the most successful of the time. During his sermon, Tyng delivered a prophetic message, saying, “I must tell my master's errand and I would rather this right arm were amputated at the trunk than I should come short of my duty in delivering God's message.”

Just a week later, Tyng lay dying as the result of a tragic farm accident. As he stretched out his arm to pat a mule working a machine shelling corn, the sleeve of his morning gown was caught in  the cogs and the main artery in his arm was severed. Discovered hours later, Tyng lay bleeding to death. At the deathbed of his friend, Duffield and others asked Tyng if he had a final message, to which Tyng replied, “Tell them, let us all stand up for Jesus.”

The Sunday following Tyng’s death, Duffield’s sermon was on Ephesians 6:14, “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place”. He concluded his sermon with a six-stanza poem he had written in tribute to his friend and colleague.

“Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the strife will not be long;

This day the noise of battle, the next the victor's song.

To him who overcometh a crown of life shall be;

They with the King of Glory shall reign eternally.”

Copies of the poem were given to all members of the congregation, and one who received it was the editor of a Baptist publication. Soon, the words were printed in that popular and widely read periodical, and, after George J. Webb put music to it, “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus” became one of the most recognized and loved hymns in the English language. It was even sung by both sides during the Civil War.

Duffield was born in 1818 in Carlisle, Pa., the son and grndson of Presbyterian ministers. He graduated from Yale College in 1837 and Union Theological Seminary in New York in 1840, and was a pastor from 1840 to 1869 at Presbyterian churches in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Michigan.

He also served seven years as regent for the University of Michigan, was editor of the Presbyterian paper Christian Observer and promoted evangelistic work using his own money. Duffield was also very interested in hymnody, which influenced his son, Samuel, to publish  “English Hymns, Their Authors and History” in 1886.

Duffield, a Presbyterian minister inspired to write one of the most memorable hymns by the dying words of an Episcopal clergyman, died in 1888. His body is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit.