John Hallett T= "There’s No Disappointment In Jesus"

Continuing in John Hallett: From A to Z

T= There’s No Disappointment In Jesus

Of the songs that have endured through church history, many seem to have a common bond: they are “born” out of some deep struggle or trial in the life of the composer. These songs “touch the heart.” Who has not been moved upon hearing the story of Horatio Spafford, a successful Chicago attorney and father of five? What a series of events: his only son suddenly died; the great Chicago fire wiped out the family’s extensive real estate investments; two years later he lost his four daughters when an ocean liner sank. Out of those tragedies came a standard of the church, “It Is Well With My Soul.” Louisa Stead was a young mother who was left with a small daughter after her husband drowned attempting to save the life of a young boy drowning in the ocean. Out of that tragedy came a song that has ministered to untold numbers of people, “’Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus.” Luther Bridges was able to write the words “Though sometimes He leads through waters deep, trials fall across the way; thought sometimes the path seems rough and steep, see His foot-prints all the way,” following the death of his wife and three sons in a fire while he was away conducting revival meetings in Kentucky.

Some of John Hallett’s most endearing and enduring songs came out of great difficulty. Perfumes and other fragrances come when petals are crushed. So, too, God allows men and women to go through the “crushing” process so the fragrance of Jesus can be evident in their lives. One of John's most well-known songs came out of the experience of “crushing blows” he suffered in his young life as a college student.

John had been given a train ticket to come to Yankee Stadium from his hometown in Binghamton to tryout with the New York Yankees. At the same time he felt God calling him into music ministry and that he should go to Moody Bible Institute to prepare for ministry. Ruth relates that the night before he was to go to Yankee Stadium, he was praying about what to do. Then next morning he woke up sick and was not able to go to the tryout. He felt that God had answered his prayer and, so, off to Moody he went.

Carl (Kelly) Bihl, his life-long friend and college classmate picks up the story:

“It was there at the Moody Bible Institute that Johnnie wrote his first great gospel hymn. You heard it at the beginning as part of the Prelude. The name of the song was “There’s No Disappointment in Jesus.” Many of you know that song. Some of you may even have sung it. But Johnnie wrote it because, well how shall I say it? People didn’t understand him. Not because he wasn’t understandable but because he dressed so beautifully. Did you know Johnnie? He was always fastidious. Yesterday, when we went to another gathering like this, I pressed my trousers because I knew I was going to be in the presence of what Johnnie Hallett was. I’m not fooling. He always looked like a million dollars, and he did that at Moody Bible Institute.

So when he would come in from a evangelistic campaign with Dr. Harry Vom Bruch, having gotten special permission, and traveling on a train where they allowed you to smoke, he came in 5 o’clock in the morning, and I was at the main desk at the Moody Bible Institute. He smelled like a tobacco factory. And people didn’t understand that. Here this fastidious student at the Moody Bible Institute (who) smelled like a cigarette. Well, they didn’t understand that. The faculty didn’t understand it. The rest of the students didn’t understand it; they didn’t understand it because he looked so good. The faculty didn’t understand it because he came in smelling like a Camel. Oh well, cigarettes. I want to tell you that he was misunderstood.

He came to the realization of there’s no disappointment in Jesus. And as a result of that experience he wrote that song, “There’s No Disappointment In Jesus”. I’ve sung it many times…he sang, he played it, and I enjoyed so much that song and that story. I’ve told him many times but it’s always been a blessing.” (recounted by his life-long friend Dr. Carl (Kelly) Bihl during John Hallett’s Memorial Service)

Ruth adds further details to the story of “There’s No Disappointment In Jesus”

John’s wife, Ruth, adds that “…on the day he wrote the song, he left Moody and walked downtown Chicago. He was so discouraged. As he walked along he told the Lord that he had given up an opportunity to try out for the New York Yankees and followed Him to Moody. He was feeling so badly – like everything was again him. He was very disappointed, almost at the end of himself even to the point of feeling like jumping into the lake (Michigan). He walked into Lyon and Healy, a large music store, and with his last dollar, he rented a studio for fifty cents an hour. In the studio he said to the Lord, “I’ve disappointed you, but You have never disappointed me.” At that point the Lord gave him “There’s No Disappointment in Jesus.” He walked out of that studio with a copy of words and music that would touch countless numbers of people over the succeeding years.”

One day I asked Ruth how he got back to Binghamton, New York, if he had spent his last dollar! She said that his father was an engineer for the rail road and, as a result, the whole family had railroad passes. So, John could get home anytime he wanted to!

In my opinion, this was the turning point in his life and ministry. God took the tragedy and turned it into a song that has encouraged people since 1940! He also helped a young man turn his focus in the right direction: Jesus. As we have talked about in the past, Jesus was the theme of his song for his entire life.

This is what John wrote in the Children’s Bible Hour News (undated)

The Story Behind The Song (see the insert from the C.B.H. News below)

“Discouraged, downhearted…’blue,’ and not know which say to turn, I was ready to give up. Many disappointments had fallen and were almost more than I could bear. I could to nothing but fall on my knees and tell the Lord all about it. The Lord spoke to me and the words ‘No Disappointments in Jesus’ seemed to stand boldly before me. And so that night came this beautiful song with this melody and harmony.

“A few months later an evangelist friend in the East asked for the privilege of publishing it. Since then, it has appeared in many song publications and has had a wide ministry over the radio throughout America. There are disappointments on every hand but ‘There is No Disappointment in Jesus.’”


(click on image to enlarge)

There’s No Disappointment In Jesus

Verse 1

There's no disappointment in Jesus,

He's more than my tongue can tell;

His love is so sure

And so steadfast,

His friendship divine will not fail.

Chorus

There's no disappointment in Jesus,

He's all that He promised to be;

His love and His care

Comfort me everywhere;

He is no disappointment to me.

Verse 2

There's no disappointment in Jesus,

Tho' sorrows may press me sore.

He comforts with tender compassion,

His love cheers my heart evermore.

Verse 3

There's no disappointment in Jesus,

He satisfies me alway;

So strong and so willing to help me,

In Him I find comfort each day,

John C. Hallett © 1940 Renewal 1968 Word Music, LLC