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Herman G. Stuempfle

1923 - 2007 Person Name: Herman G. Stuempfle Jr., 1923–2007 Author of "We Sing Your Praise for Work" in One and All Rejoice Rev. Dr. Herman G. Stuempfle, Jr., 83, died Tuesday, March 13, 2007, after a long illness. Born April 2, 1923, in Clarion, he was the son of the late Herman G. and Helen (Wolfe) Stuempfle, Sr. Stuempfle lived most of his life in Gettysburg, PA. He served as President of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg. He attended Hughesville public schools, and was a graduate of Susquehanna University and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. He received additional advanced degrees from Union Theological Seminary in New York and a doctoral degree at Southern California School of Theology at Claremont. He retired in 1989. Rev. Dr. Stuempfle was the author of several books and numerous articles and lectures on preaching, history, and theology. He was also among the most honored and respected hymn writers of the 20th and 21st centuries. Rev. Dr. Stuempfle was known for his leadership in community and civic projects. Always taking an active stance on social issues, he participated in the creation of day care centers, served on the Gettysburg interchurch social action committee, helped create and support prison ministries and a homeless shelter, and tutored young people in the after school program of Christ Lutheran Church, where he was a long time member. --Excerpts from his obituary published in Evening Sun from Mar. 15 to Mar. 16, 2007

Samuel Wesley

1691 - 1739 Person Name: Samuel Wesley, Jr. Author of "From Whence These Dire Portents Around?" in The Cyber Hymnal Samuel Wesley, M.A., the younger, was the eldest child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born in or near London in 1691. He received his early education from his mother, who always took a special interest in him as her firstborn. In 1704 he went to Westminster School, where he was elected King's Scholar in 1707. Westminster had, under the mastership of Dr. Busby for 55 years, attained the highest reputation for scholarship, and Samuel Wesley, as a classical scholar, was not unworthy of his school. In 1709, Dr. Spratt, Bishop of Rochester, patronised the young scholar, and frequently invited him to Bromley. In 1711 he went with a Westminster studentship to Christ Church, Oxford, and having taken his degree, returned to Westminster as an Usher. He then received Holy Orders and became an intimate friend of Bishop Atterbury, who was then Dean of Westminster. His intimacy with this prelate was a bar to his advancement, and he was bitterly disappointed at not being appointed undermaster at Westminster when that post was vacant. But he was faithful to his friend in his adversity, and the banished prelate warmly appreciated his attachment. In 1732 he was invited, without solicitation, to accept the headmastership of the Free School at Tiverton, and here he spent the remainder of his life. He strongly disapproved of John and Charles Wesley's proceedings; but though the brothers expressed their opinions to one another with characteristic frankness, the disagreement did not cause any interruption in the friendly relations between them. Samuel Wesley was universally acknowledged to be an honest, conscientious and deeply religious man. He was a most uncompromising High Churchman both in the political and the theological sense of that term; and there is no doubt that he was the mainstay of the Wesley family at Epworth. His kindness to his father and mother was unbounded, and he acted like a father to his younger brothers and sisters. He also took a great interest in works of charity, and was one of the first promoters of the Westminster Infirmary. He died at Tiverton in the 49th year of his age, Nov. 6, 1739. His epitaph in Tiverton Churchyard does not exaggerate his merits, when it describes him as— "a man for his uncommon wit and learning, For the benevolence of his temper, and simplicity of manner, Deservedly loved and esteemed by all: An excellent Preacher; But whose best sermon Was the constant example of an edifying life: So continually and zealously employed In acts of beneficence and charity, That he truly followed His blessed Master's example In going about doing good; Of such scrupulous integrity, That he declined occasions of advancement in the world, Through fear of being involved in dangerous compliances; And avoided the usual ways to preferment As studiously as many others seek them." Samuel Wesley published in 1736 A Collection of Poems on several occasions, some of which are full of a rather coarse humour, but all of a good moral and religious tendency. This work was reprinted in 1743, and again by W. Nichols in 1862. Dr. Adam Clarke specifies eight hymns of S. Wesley's composition which were in use among the Methodists of that time (1823). The Wesleyan Hymn Book of the present day contains five, the best-known of which is "The Lord of Sabbath let us praise." Six of his hymns are in common use, and are annotated as follows:— 1. From whence these dire portents around. 2. Hail, Father, Whose creating call. 3. Hail, God the Son in glory crowned. 4. Hail, Holy Ghost, Jehovah, Third. 5. The Lord of Sabbath, let ns praise. 6. The morning flowers display their sweets. -- Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Mary Louise Bringle

b. 1953 Person Name: Mary Louise Bringle, b. 1953 Author of "O Blest Are You" in Worship (4th ed.)

John Hampden Gurney

1802 - 1862 Person Name: Rev. John Hampden Gurney (1802-1862) Author of "Lord, as to Thy dear cross we flee" in The Hymnal Gurney, John Hampden, M.A., eldest son of Sir John Gurney, a Baron of the Exchequer, was born in Serjeants’ Inn, London, Aug. 15, 1802, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1824. On taking Holy Orders he became Curate of Lutterworth (1827-1844), and subsequently Rector of St. Mary's, Marylebone, and Prebendary of St. Paul's Cathedral. He died in London, March 8, 1862. The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and other religious societies had his cordial sympathy, and received his active support. His publications include several small volumes in prose, and the following:— (1) Church Psalmody; Hints for the improvement of a Collection of Hymns published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1853; (2) A Collection of Hymns for Public Worship. Lutterworth, 1838. This contains 300 hymns, and is known as his Lutterworth Collection; (3) Psalms and Hymns for Public Worship, selected for some of the Churches of Marylebone. London, 1851. This collection of 300 hymns and psalm versions is known as his Marylebone Collection. The Preface is signed by "Charles Baring," "Thomas Garnier," and "John Hampden Gurney," but the work was practically done by Gurney. To the Lutterworth Collection 1838, he contributed :— 1. Earth to earth, and dust to dust. Burial. 2. Great King of nations, hear our prayer. Fast Day. 3. Lord, as to Thy dear Cross we flee. Lent. 4. Lord, at Thy word the constant sun. Harvest. 5. Saviour, what wealth was Thine. Passiontide. 6. Soon to the dust we speed. Heaven anticipated. 7. Thou God of mercy and of might. Good Friday. 8. Thou plenteous source of light and love. Advent. 9. Thou Who of old didst raise. Ascension. 10. Through centuries of sin and woe. For Peace. 11. We praise Thee, everlasting God. Te Deum. These hymns were all signed "J. H. G.," and Nos. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 and 11, were repeated in the Marylebone Collection, 1851; and to these were added:— 12. Fair waved the golden corn. Child's Hymn. 13. How vast the debt we owe. Offertory. 14. Lord of the Harvest, Thee we hail. Harvest. This is No. 4 above rewritten. 15. Lord, we lift our eyes above. Love of Christ. In addition to these we are specially indebted to Gurney for, "We saw Thee not when Thou didst come" (q.v.), and "Yes, God is good," &c. (q.v.). Several of the above-named hymns are in extensive use in Great Britain and America. The most popular are annotated under their respective first lines. -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

John White Chadwick

1840 - 1904 Author of "It singeth low in ev'ry heart" in The Chapel Hymnal Chadwick, John White, was born at Marblehead, Mass., U.S., Oct. 19, 1840; graduated at the Cambridge Divinity School, July 19, 1864, and ordained minister of the Second Unitarian Church, Brooklyn, N.Y., Dec. 21, 1864. A frequent contributor to the Christian Examiner; The Radical; Old and New; Harper's Magazine; and has published many poems in American periodicals. His hymn on Unity, "Eternal Ruler of the ceaseless round," was written for the graduating class of the Divinity School, Cambridge, June 19, 1864. It is in Horder's Congregational Hymns, 1884. It is a hymn of superior merit. [Rev. W. Garrett Horder] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ======================== Chadwick, J. W, p. 216, i. Mr. Chadwick's important prose works were the Life of Theodore Parker, 1890, and that of William Ellery Channing, 1903; and his poetical productions A Book of Poems, 1876, and In Nazareth Town and other Poems, 1883. He received his M.A. from Harvard in 1888; and d. Dec. 11, 1901. In addition to "Eternal Ruler of the ceaseless round," already noted on p. 216, ii., Mr. Chadwick's widow has supplied us with the following data concerning his hymns:— 1. A gentle tumult in the earth. [Easter.] Dated 1876. 2. Another year of setting suns. [New Year.] Written as a New Year's Hymn for 1873, and originally began "That this shall be a better year." In The Pilgrim Hymnal, Boston, 1904. 3. Come, let us sing a tender song, [Communion of Saints.] Dated 1901, and included in The Pilgrim Hymnal, 1904. 4. Everlasting Holy One. [Invocation.] 1875. 5. It singeth low in every heart. [In Memoriam.] Written in 1876, for the 25th Anniversary of the Dedication of his Church at Brooklyn. It has passed into a great many collections in America, and a few in Great Britain, including Horder's Worship Song, 1905. 6. Now sing we a song for the harvest. [Harvest.] Written for a Harvest Thanksgiving Service in 1871. Given in The Pilgrim Hymnal, 1904, and others. 7. 0 God, we come not as of old. [Perfect Law of Liberty.] Written in 1874, and entitled "The Perfect Law." 8. 0 Love Divine of all that is. [Trust.] Written in 1865, and included in his Book of Poems, 1876, as "A Song of Trust." In several American collections. 9. 0 Thou, Whose perfect goodness crowns. [For an Anniversary.] "Written for the 23th Anniversary of his Installation, Dec. 21, 1889." In The Pilgrim Hymnal, and other collections. 10. Thou Whose Spirit dwells in all. [Easter.] Written in 1890. 11. What has drawn us thus apart? [For Unity.] Undated, in the Boston Unitarian Hymns for Church and Home, 1895. During the past ten years Mr. Chadwick's hymns have become very popular in America, and especially with the compilers of Congrega¬tional and Unitarian collections. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

John L. Bell

b. 1949 Person Name: John L. Bell, b. 1949 Author of "Come, Host of heaven's high dwelling place" in Singing the Faith John Bell (b. 1949) was born in the Scottish town of Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, intending to be a music teacher when he felt the call to the ministry. But in frustration with his classes, he did volunteer work in a deprived neighborhood in London for a time and also served for two years as an associate pastor at the English Reformed Church in Amsterdam. After graduating he worked for five years as a youth pastor for the Church of Scotland, serving a large region that included about 500 churches. He then took a similar position with the Iona Community, and with his colleague Graham Maule, began to broaden the youth ministry to focus on renewal of the church’s worship. His approach soon turned to composing songs within the identifiable traditions of hymnody that began to address concerns missing from the current Scottish hymnal: "I discovered that seldom did our hymns represent the plight of poor people to God. There was nothing that dealt with unemployment, nothing that dealt with living in a multicultural society and feeling disenfranchised. There was nothing about child abuse…,that reflected concern for the developing world, nothing that helped see ourselves as brothers and sisters to those who are suffering from poverty or persecution." [from an interview in Reformed Worship (March 1993)] That concern not only led to writing many songs, but increasingly to introducing them internationally in many conferences, while also gathering songs from around the world. He was convener for the fourth edition of the Church of Scotland’s Church Hymnary (2005), a very different collection from the previous 1973 edition. His books, The Singing Thing and The Singing Thing Too, as well as the many collections of songs and worship resources produced by John Bell—some together with other members of the Iona Community’s “Wild Goose Resource Group,” —are available in North America from GIA Publications. Emily Brink

Thomas H. Troeger

1945 - 2022 Person Name: Thomas H. Troeger, b. 1945 Author of "Our Savior's Infant Cries Were Heard" in Worship (4th ed.) Thomas Troeger (1945-2022), professor of Christian communication at Yale Divinity school, was a well known preacher, poet, and musician. He was a fellow of Silliman College, held a B.A. from Yale University; B.D. Colgate Rochester Divinity School; S.T. D. Dickinson College, and was awarded an honorary D.D. from Virginia Theological Seminary. He was ordained in the Presbyterian Church in 1970 and the Episcopal Church in 1999, and remained dually aligned with both traditions. Troerger led conferences and lectures in worship and preaching throughout North America, as well as in Denmark, Holland, Australia, Japan, and Africa. He served as national chaplain to the American Guild of Organists, and for at least three years he hosted the Season of Worship broadcast for Cokesbury. He was president of the Academy of Homiletics as well as Societas Homiletica. He had, as of 2009, written 22 books in the areas of preaching, poetry, hymnody, and worship. Many of his hymn texts are found in New Hymns for the Lectionary (Oxford, 1992), and God, You Made All Things for Singing (Oxford, 2009). Laura de Jong

Fred Kaan

1929 - 2009 Author of "Put Peace into Each Other’s Hands" in Voices Together Fred Kaan Hymn writer. His hymns include both original work and translations. He sought to address issues of peace and justice. He was born in Haarlem in the Netherlands in July 1929. He was baptised in St Bavo Cathedral but his family did not attend church regularly. He lived through the Nazi occupation, saw three of his grandparents die of starvation, and witnessed his parents deep involvement in the resistance movement. They took in a number of refugees. He became a pacifist and began attending church in his teens. Having become interested in British Congregationalism (later to become the United Reformed Church) through a friendship, he was attended Western College in Bristol. He was ordained in 1955 at the Windsor Road Congregational Church in Barry, Glamorgan. In 1963 he was called to be minister of the Pilgrim Church in Plymouth. It was in this congregation that he began to write hymns. The first edition of Pilgrim Praise was published in 1968, going into second and third editions in 1972 and 1975. He continued writing many more hymns throughout his life. Dianne Shapiro, from obituary written by Keith Forecast in Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/fred-kaan-minister-and-celebrated-hymn-writer-1809481.html)

Alan Gray

1855 - 1935 Harmonizer of "ST. COLUMBA" in The United Methodist Hymnal Music Supplement Born: December 23, 1855, York, England. Died: September 27, 1935, Cambridge, England. Buried: Trinity College, Cambridge, England. Alan Gray (23 December 1855, York – 27 September 1935, Cambridge) was a British organist and composer. Born in York, he attended St Peter's School in York and Trinity College, Cambridge. From 1883 until 1893 he was Director of Music at Wellington College. In 1893 he returned to Cambridge to be organist at Trinity College, and remained organist there until 1930. Among his compositions are liturgical music for Morning and Evening Prayer and the Office of Holy Communion for use in the Church of England according to the Book of Common Prayer, including an Evening Service in f minor, a setting of Holy Communion in G, several anthems, including 'What are these that glow from afar?', and a collection of descants to various hymn tunes, several of which are still in use today (Common Praise (2000) includes four). He also composed a number of items for organ, for violin solo, and for voice and orchestra to religious and secular texts. --en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Peter Abelard

1079 - 1142 Person Name: Peter Abelard, 1079-1142 Author of "Alone You make Your way, O Lord" in The Irish Presbyterian Hymnbook Abelard, Peter, born at Pailais, in Brittany, 1079. Designed for the military profession, he followed those of philosophy and theology. His life was one of strange chances and changes, brought about mainly through his love for Heloise, the niece of one Fulbert, a Canon of the Cathedral of Paris, and by his rationalistic views. Although a priest, he married Heloise privately. He was condemned for heresy by the Council of Soissons, 1121, and again by that of Sens, 1140; died at St. Marcel, near Chalons-sur-Saône, April 21, 1142. For a long time, although his poetry had been referred to both by himself and by Heloise, little of any moment was known except the Advent hymn, Mittit ad Virginem, (q.v.). In 1838 Greith published in his Spicihgium Vaticanum, pp. 123-131, six poems which had been discovered in the Vatican. Later on, ninety-seven hymns were found in the Royal Library at Brussels, and pub. in the complete edition of Abelard's works, by Cousin, Petri Abelardi Opp., Paris, 1849. In that work is one of his best-known hymns, Tuba Domini, Paule, maxima (q.v.). Trench in his Sacra Latina Poetry, 1864, gives his Ornarunt terram germina (one of a series of poems on the successive days' work of the Creation), from Du Meril's Poesies Popul. Lat. du Moyen Age, 1847, p. 444. -John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)