Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. (1 John 3:2, 3)
In his book, Written Because, the composer, Grant C. Tullar, tells about the rather unusual circumstances that prompted the writing of this hymn:
“An almost empty jelly dish at the supper table in the M.E. parsonage at Rutherford, New Jersey, where I was assisting in a series of evangelistic meetings, was responsible for the writing of “Face to Face.” My fondness for jelly was not long a secret, and my hostess did her best to see that a reasonable supply was always on the table. The three of us had spent the afternoon calling on the sick, so we were a bit hurried in the preparation for supper that evening, and the jelly dish was neglected. It had only a wee dab of jelly in it, and as I passed it to the others, I possibly showed fear lest they should not refuse it…But host and hostess refused it, and as I started to help myself I said, “So this is all for me, is it?”
At that instance, “all for me” as a theme for a song thrust itself upon my mind with such force that I placed the dish again on the table without taking any jelly, and, excusing myself, went to the piano and wrote the melody and a few verses, the first one beginning: “All for me the Savior suffered, all for me He bled and died.”
We discussed the new song before retiring that night, and I promised to revise the words somewhat. This was never done, however, because when the postman came the next morning, he brought me a letter from the author, Mrs. Carrie Breck, with several poems in it, and as I started to read the first one, I discovered that it exactly fit with the music I had written the night before! No word of her poem nor any music needed to be changed. The Architect had planned both of them so perfectly, that from that day on, “Face to Face” has been winning its way into hearts and lives all over the world.
Face to face with Christ, my Savior, face to face—what will it be
When with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me?
Refrain
Face to face I shall behold Him, far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory, I shall see Him by and by!
Only faintly now I see Him, with the darkling veil between;
But a blessed day is coming when His glory shall be seen. Refrain
What rejoicing in His presence, when are banished grief or pain;
When the crooked ways are straightened and the dark things shall be plain. Refrain
Face to face—O blissful moment! Face to face—to see and know;
Face to face with my Redeemer, Jesus Christ who loves me so! Refrain