John H. Sammis（1846-1919）. Explore “Trust and Obey”: song information and official sources.
Confession and repentance · Following and obedience
In Towner’s 1906 recollection, a young man at a Moody meeting admitted he did not fully understand but was willing to trust and obey. Towner noted the words and passed them to Sammis, leading to this hymn. This is a participant’s account set down twenty years later, with no contemporary record; its reliability is moderate to fairly good. Samuel speaks to Saul in the same order: “to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22). Giving things is easier than listening, and people often substitute the former for the latter. The Lord also connects love with obedience: “One who has my commandments and keeps them, that person is one who loves me.” (John 14:21). The hymn can become a slogan, but each stanza first describes a situation—doubt, sorrow or trial—then responds within it. Obedience here is a costly choice, beyond an easy attitude.
Follow-up after a commitment of faith or baptism, youth fellowship and discipleship; teaching on First Samuel 15.