The Beloved hymn “Face to Face” first appeared in the collection, Sermons in Song, No. 2 (1899). Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Porteous, missionaries with the former China Inland Mission board, loved this song and sung this hymn while expecting momentary death from a band of Chinese terrorists. The missionaries tell of being led to a lonely spot on a hill and being told: “This is the place!” When the executioner took his long knife from his shoulder, the courageous couple, expecting immediate death, began to sing:

Face to face with Christ my Saviour,

Face to face-what will it be

When with rapture I behold Him ,

Jesus Christ who died for me?

To the missionary couple’s surprise, no order was given. The executioner shouldered his axe-like knife, and Mr. and Mrs. Porteous were released and permitted to return to their headquarters in Shanghai. They often told their story of their singing faith and their anticipation of seeing their Saviour “face to face” in the hour of expected death.

This story is told in Unfamiliar Stories of Familiar Hymns

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 darkened veil between,

But a blessed day is coming,

When His glory shall be seen.

What rejoicing in His presence,

When are banished grief and pain;

Death is swallowed up in vict’ry,

And the dark things shall be plain.

Face to face—oh, blissful moment!

Face to face—to see and know;

Face to face with my Redeemer,

Jesus Christ who loves me so.