Alexander Balfour

Balfour, Alexander, was born of poor parents at Monikie, Forfarshire, 1767. For some time he was engaged in business pursuits, but through lack of success therein he entered the publishing house of Messrs. Blackwood, of Edinburgh, as a clerk, in 1818. He died in 1829. He published several works in prose and verse. His hymn, "Go, messenger of peace and love," is noted on p. 430, ii.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)