There’s No Other Name

Heather Allington

Heather writes for Sunday Song Book on behalf of the The Salvation Army Oshawa. As a lifelong member of the Army, she has loved these familiar - and some less familiar - songs for many years, and enjoys researching and writing about their origins. She is a wife, mother, grandmother and retired elementary school teacher who likes trying her hand at watercolour painting and poetry writing.

There’s no other name but this name,
And no other name will do;
There’s no other name but Jesus
For folk like me and you;
For no other name brings pardon
And sets everybody free;
There’s no other name but Jesus
For you and me.

Say, is there a name to live by?
Is there a name for joy?
Is there a name to change men,
Their hate and greed destroy?
Have we a name for healing?
Have we a name for peace?
Have we a name for freedom,
Deliverance and release?

Say, is there a name for meaning?
Is there a name for might?
Is there a name for mercy,
A name for life and light?
Have we a name for laughter?
Have we a name for grace?
Have we a name for glory
Transcending time and space?

Say, is there a name for pardon?
Is there a name for power?
Is there a name to guide us
Each day and every hour?
Have we a name for cleansing?
Have we a name for care?
Have we a name for all men
For always, everywhere?

This lively song was written by Generals John Gowans (R) and John Larsson(R) for the musical Jesus Folk , which was introduced at a National Congress in Wembley, England in 1972. The full version was first performed in Croydon in 1973. Its theme is the transformation that Christ brings to the lives of His followers. The musical contains a sequence on the crucifixion, and a highlight at the original presentation was when the resurrected Jesus walked through the audience, saying to his followers left on stage, “Goodbye… and remember… I’m with you always.”
The musical partnership of Gowans and Larsson is well-known in Salvation Army circles Click To Tweet
The musical partnership of Gowans and Larsson is well-known in Salvation Army circles. It began long before each of them, successively, became a General. They wrote and composed 10 musicals from 1967 to 1990, the first being Take-Over Bid . In an interview, John Gowans thought perhaps the 1990 musical, The Meeting , would be their last, as indeed it was. He regretted that few younger writers were working at contributing this type of presentation of the Gospel message, in their own style, as theatre can be so effective. General Gowans was promoted to Glory in 2012.