A story of the hymn, “Faith is the Victory” by William Petersen

In Batavia, New York, John Yates was the manager of the local hardware store. Shortly after he left the hardware store to become editor of a local newspaper, he wrote this hymn, “Faith is the Victory.” The key phrase is taken from the King James Version of 1 John 5:4, which says, “And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 

The imagery of the hymn is drawn from several sections of Scripture. In Ephesians 6, Paul speaks of the Word of God as our sword, salvation as our helmet, and truth as our belt. And faith, Paul says, is our shield. The phrase “His banner over us is love” comes from Song of Songs, and his reference to “white raiment” in the last stanza comes from the book of Revelation, which says, “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment” (3:5, KJV). No doubt about it, newspaper editor John Yates knew his Scripture, and he knew that it is true that “faith is the victory.”

Scriptures: Ephesians 6:10-17; 1 John 5:4; Revelation 3:5 
Themes: Faith, World, Conflict 

Lyrics of the Hymn:
Encamped along the hills of light, ye Christian soldiers, rise,
And press the battle ere the night shall veil the glowing skies.
Against the foe in vales below let all our strength be hurled;
Faith is the victory, we know, that overcomes the world.

Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
Oh, glorious victory, That overcomes the world.

His banner over us is love, our sword the Word of God;
We tread the road the saints above with shouts of triumph trod.
By faith they, like a whirlwind’s breath, swept on o’er ev’ry field;
The faith by which they conquered Death is still our shining shield.

On ev’ry hand the foe we find drawn up in dread array;
Let tents of ease be left behind, and onward to the fray.
Salvation’s helmet on each head, with truth all girt about,
The earth shall tremble ’neath our tread, and echo with our shout.

To him that overcomes the foe, white raiment shall be giv’n;
Before the angels he shall know His name confessed in heav’n.
Then onward from the hills of light, our hearts with love aflame;
We’ll vanquish all the hosts of night, in Jesus’ conq’ring name.
By JOHN H. YATES (1837–1900)

Reference for the Hymn:
Petersen, William. The Complete Book of Hymns (p. 99). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.