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Lewis Hartsough

1828 - 1919 Person Name: L. H. Hymnal Number: 238 Author of "I Am Coming, Lord!" in The Tabernacle Hymns Hartsough, Lewis, was born at Ithaca, New York, Aug. 31, 1823. Of his hymns the following are in common use:—- 1. I hear Thy welcome voice. The Divine Invitation. 2. In the rifted Rock I'm resting. Safety in Jesus. 3. Lead me to the Rock that's higher. Safety in Jesus. 4. O who'll stand up for Jesus? All for Jesus Nos. 1-3 are in I. D. Sankey's Sacred Songs & Solos, 1878 (1 and 3 with music by Hartsough). --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907) ================= Hartsough, Lewis, p. 1569, ii. Mr. Hartsough entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1851, and is now (1905) residing in Mount Vernon, Indiana. He was musical editor of J. Hillman's Revivalist, Troy, 1868, and co-editor of The Sacred Harmonist, Boston, 1864, and Beulah Songs, Phila., 1879. In addition to the hymns named on p. 1569, ii., "Let me go where saints are going" [Heav'n desired] (1861) has come into common use. It appeared in W. B. Bradbury's Clarion, 1867, p. 83. Concerning his hymn, "I hear Thy welcome voice," Mr. Sankey says in his My Life and Sacred Songs, 1906, p. 11(3:— The words and music of this beautiful hymn were first published in a monthly, entitled, Guide to Holiness, a copy of which was sent to me in England. I immediately adopted it, and had it published in Sacred Songs and Solos. It proved to be one of the most helpful of the revival hymns, and was often used as an invitation hymn in England and America." [Rev. L. F. Benson, D.D.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907) ================ Hartsough, Lewis. (August 31, 1823--January 1, 1919). Details of his early life are lacking. After being admitted to the Oneida, New York, Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1851 and serving several pastorates in that state, his health failed and he went to Utah where he was influential in establishing the Utah Mission, later becoming its superintendent. Upon relinquishing that position he moved to Mt. Vernon, Iowa, where he spent the remainder of his life. Bird's statement that he lived in Indiana is erroneous. He was minister of the South Street Methodist Episcopal Church, Utica, New York, when he first became associated with Joseph Hillman, who chose him to act as musical editor of The Revivalist, a gospel hymn book which went through eleven editions in five years, 1868-1872. This book had a remarkable sale and was doubtless used in more churches during the 1870s than any other of similar character. To it the Reverend Hartsough contributed, in one edition, twelve texts, fourteen tunes, and thirty arrangements of tunes, several of the latter being of the religio-folk variety which had been so popular in the early camp meetings. It is a valuable source work. "I love to think of the heavenly land" (p.1573) is by Hartsough. "I hear thy welcome voice (p.1569), originally in six four-line stanzas, with Refrain, in full S/1931; with the first three stanzas, slightly emended, Brethren/1951; with stanzas 1, 2, 3, and 5, also emended, in Hymns of the Living Faith, 1951. Writeen in 1872 with musical settings by the author, it is the only one of his many songs which has continued in use. Source: Metcalf, Frank J. American Writers and Compilers of Sacred Music; several editions of The Revivalist. --Robert G. McCutchan, DNAH Archives

Jeremiah Eames Rankin

1828 - 1904 Person Name: J. E. Rankin, D.D. Hymnal Number: 258 Author of "God be with You" in The Tabernacle Hymns Pseudonym: R. E. Jeremy. Rankin, Jeremiah Eames, D.D., was born at Thornton, New Haven, Jan. 2, 1828, and educated at Middleburg College, Vermont, and at Andover. For two years he resided at Potsdam, U.S. Subsequently he held pastoral charges as a Congregational Minister at New York, St. Albans, Charlestown, Washington ( District of Columbia), &c. In 1878 he edited the Gospel Temperance Hymnal, and later the Gospel Bells. His hymns appeared in these collections, and in D. E. Jones's Songs of the New Life, 1869. His best known hymn is "Labouring and heavy laden" (Seeking Christ). This was "written [in 1855] for a sister who was an inquirer," was first printed in the Boston Recorder, and then included in Nason's Congregational Hymn Book, 1857. Another of his hymns is "Rest, rest, rest, brother rest." He died in 1904. [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ======================== Rankin, J. 33., p. 951, ii. Dr. Rankin, b. in N. H. (not New Haven), and received his D.D. 1869, LL.D. 1889 from his Alma Mater. He was President for several years of Howard University, Washington, D.C. His publications included several volumes of Sermons, German-English Lyrics, Sacred and Secular, 1897; 2nd ed. 1898, &c. In addition to his hymns noted on p. 951, ii., he has written and published mainly in sheet form many others, the most important and best-known being:— 1. God be with you till we meet again. [Benediction.] Dr. Rankin's account of this hymn, supplied to us, in common with Mr. Brownlie, for his Hymns and H. Writers of The Church Hymnary, 1899, is: "It was written as a Christian good-bye, and first sung in the First Congregational Church, of which I was minister for fifteen years. We had Gospel meetings on Sunday nights, and our music was intentionally of the popular kind. I wrote the first stanza, and sent it to two gentlemen for music. The music which seemed to me to best suit the words was written by T. G. Tomer, teacher of public schools in New Jersey, at one time on the staff of General 0. 0. Howard. After receiving the music (which was revised by Dr. J. W. Bischoff, the organist of my church), I wrote the other stanzas." The hymn became at once popular, and has been translated into several languages. In America it is in numerous collections; and in Great Britain, in The Church Hymnary, 1898, Horder's Worship Song, 1905, The Methodist Hymn Book, 1904, and others. It was left undated by Dr. Rankin, but I.D. Sankey gives it as 1882. 2. Beautiful the little hands. [Little ones for Jesus.] Given without date in Gloria Deo, New York, 1900. Dr. Rankin's translations include versions of German, French, Latin, and Welsh hymns. His contributions to the periodical press have been numerous. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

William B. Bradbury

1816 - 1868 Person Name: Wm. B. Bradbury Hymnal Number: 17 Composer of "[He leadeth me! O! blessed tho't]" in The Tabernacle Hymns William Bachelder Bradbury USA 1816-1868. Born at York, ME, he was raised on his father's farm, with rainy days spent in a shoe-shop, the custom in those days. He loved music and spent spare hours practicing any music he could find. In 1830 the family moved to Boston, where he first saw and heard an organ and piano, and other instruments. He became an organist at 15. He attended Dr. Lowell Mason's singing classes, and later sang in the Bowdoin Street church choir. Dr. Mason became a good friend. He made $100/yr playing the organ, and was still in Dr. Mason's choir. Dr. Mason gave him a chance to teach singing in Machias, ME, which he accepted. He returned to Boston the following year to marry Adra Esther Fessenden in 1838, then relocated to Saint John, New Brunswick. Where his efforts were not much appreciated, so he returned to Boston. He was offered charge of music and organ at the First Baptist Church of Brooklyn. That led to similar work at the Baptist Tabernacle, New York City, where he also started a singing class. That started singing schools in various parts of the city, and eventually resulted in music festivals, held at the Broadway Tabernacle, a prominent city event. He conducted a 1000 children choir there, which resulted in music being taught as regular study in public schools of the city. He began writing music and publishing it. In 1847 he went with his wife to Europe to study with some of the music masters in London and also Germany. He attended Mendelssohn funeral while there. He went to Switzerland before returning to the states, and upon returning, commenced teaching, conducting conventions, composing, and editing music books. In 1851, with his brother, Edward, he began manufacturring Bradbury pianos, which became popular. Also, he had a small office in one of his warehouses in New York and often went there to spend time in private devotions. As a professor, he edited 59 books of sacred and secular music, much of which he wrote. He attended the Presbyterian church in Bloomfield, NJ, for many years later in life. He contracted tuberculosis the last two years of his life. John Perry

Frank M. Davis

1839 - 1896 Hymnal Number: 29 Composer of "[Lord, I care not for riches]" in The Tabernacle Hymns Frank Marion Davis USA 1839-1896. Born at Marcellus, NY, he became a teacher and professor of voice, a choirmaster and a good singer. He traveled extensively, living in Marcellus, NY, Vicksburg, MS, Baltimore, MD, Cincinnati, OH, Burr Oak and Findley, MI. He compiled and published several song books: “New Pearls of Song” (1877), “Notes of Praise” (1890), “Crown of gold” (1892), “Always welcome” (1881), “Songs of love and praise #5” (1898), “Notes of praise”, and “Brightest glory”. He never married. John Perry

W. Howard Doane

1832 - 1915 Person Name: W. H. Doane Hymnal Number: 41 Composer of "[I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice]" in The Tabernacle Hymns An industrialist and philanthropist, William H. Doane (b. Preston, CT, 1832; d. South Orange, NJ, 1915), was also a staunch supporter of evangelistic campaigns and a prolific writer of hymn tunes. He was head of a large woodworking machinery plant in Cincinnati and a civic leader in that city. He showed his devotion to the church by supporting the work of the evangelistic team of Dwight L. Moody and Ira D. Sankey and by endowing Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and Denison University in Granville, Ohio. An amateur composer, Doane wrote over twenty-two hundred hymn and gospel song tunes, and he edited over forty songbooks. Bert Polman ============ Doane, William Howard, p. 304, he was born Feb. 3, 1832. His first Sunday School hymn-book was Sabbath Gems published in 1861. He has composed about 1000 tunes, songs, anthems, &c. He has written but few hymns. Of these "No one knows but Jesus," "Precious Saviour, dearest Friend," and "Saviour, like a bird to Thee," are noted in Burrage's Baptist Hymn Writers. 1888, p. 557. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907) =================== Doane, W. H. (William Howard), born in Preston, Connecticut, 1831, and educated for the musical profession by eminent American and German masters. He has had for years the superintendence of a large Baptist Sunday School in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he resides. Although not a hymnwriter, the wonderful success which has attended his musical setting of numerous American hymns, and the number of his musical editions of hymnbooks for Sunday Schools and evangelistic purposes, bring him within the sphere of hymnological literature. Amongst his collections we have:— (1) Silver Spray, 1868; (2) Pure Gold, 1877; (3) Royal Diadem, 1873; (4) Welcome Tidings, 1877; (5) Brightest and Best, 1875; (6) Fountain of Song; (7) Songs of Devotion, 1870; (8) Temple Anthems, &c. His most popular melodies include "Near the Cross," "Safe in the Arms of Jesus," "Pass me Not," "More Love to Thee," "Rescue the Perishing," "Tell me the Old, Old Story," &c. - John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

D. B. Towner

1850 - 1919 Hymnal Number: 46 Composer of "[When we walk with the Lord]" in The Tabernacle Hymns Used pseudonyms Robert Beverly, T. R. Bowden ============================== Towner, Daniel B. (Rome, Pennsylvania, 1850--1919). Attended grade school in Rome, Penn. when P.P. Bliss was teacher. Later majored in music, joined D.L. Moody, and in 1893 became head of the music department at Moody Bible Institute. Author of more than 2,000 songs. --Paul Milburn, DNAH Archives

Robert Harkness

1880 - 1961 Hymnal Number: 75 Arranger of "[Jesus! what a Friend for sinners!]" in The Tabernacle Hymns After attending a revival meeting by Reuben Torrey and Charles M. Alexander, Harkness became Alexander’s pianist. He came to Christ shortly thereafter (on a bicycle, he said), and made several round the world tours with Torrey and Alexander. Harkness was especially well known for his program The Music of the Cross, and as the author of correspondence courses in hymn playing. He wrote over 2,000 hymns and Gospel songs in his lifetime. (hymntime.com/tch)

Arthur Sullivan

1842 - 1900 Person Name: Sir Arthur Sullivan Hymnal Number: 76 Composer of "[Onward, Christian soldiers! ]" in The Tabernacle Hymns Arthur Seymour Sullivan (b Lambeth, London. England. 1842; d. Westminster, London, 1900) was born of an Italian mother and an Irish father who was an army bandmaster and a professor of music. Sullivan entered the Chapel Royal as a chorister in 1854. He was elected as the first Mendelssohn scholar in 1856, when he began his studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He also studied at the Leipzig Conservatory (1858-1861) and in 1866 was appointed professor of composition at the Royal Academy of Music. Early in his career Sullivan composed oratorios and music for some Shakespeare plays. However, he is best known for writing the music for lyrics by William S. Gilbert, which produced popular operettas such as H.M.S. Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1879), The Mikado (1884), and Yeomen of the Guard (1888). These operettas satirized the court and everyday life in Victorian times. Although he composed some anthems, in the area of church music Sullivan is best remembered for his hymn tunes, written between 1867 and 1874 and published in The Hymnary (1872) and Church Hymns (1874), both of which he edited. He contributed hymns to A Hymnal Chiefly from The Book of Praise (1867) and to the Presbyterian collection Psalms and Hymns for Divine Worship (1867). A complete collection of his hymns and arrangements was published posthumously as Hymn Tunes by Arthur Sullivan (1902). Sullivan steadfastly refused to grant permission to those who wished to make hymn tunes from the popular melodies in his operettas. Bert Polman

James M. Black

1856 - 1938 Person Name: J. M. Black Hymnal Number: 91 Composer of "[Since Christ my soul from sin set free]" in The Tabernacle Hymns James Milton Black USA 1856-1938 Born in South Hill, NY, Black was an American hymn composer, choir leader and Sunday school teacher. He worked, lived,and died in Williamsport, PA. An active member, he worked at the Pine Tree Methodist Episcopal Church there. He married Lucy Love Levan. He started his music career with John Howard of New York and Daniel B. Towner of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. He edited a dozen gospel song books and wrote nearly 1500 songs. He also served on the commission for the 1905 Methodist Hymnal. John Perry

James McGranahan

1840 - 1907 Hymnal Number: 101 Composer of "[It may be at morn, when the day is awaking]" in The Tabernacle Hymns James McGranahan USA 1840-1907. Born at West Fallowfield, PA, uncle of Hugh McGranahan, and son of a farmer, he farmed during boyhood. Due to his love of music his father let him attend singing school, where he learned to play the bass viol. At age 19 he organized his first singing class and soon became a popular teacher in his area of the state. He became a noted musician and hymns composer. His father was reluctant to let him pursue this career, but he soon made enough money doing it that he was able to hire a replacement farmhand to help his father while he studied music. His father, a wise man, soon realized how his son was being used by God to win souls through his music. He entered the Normal Music School at Genesco, NY, under William B Bradbury in 1861-62. He met Miss Addie Vickery there. They married in 1863, and were very close to each other their whole marriage, but had no children. She was also a musician and hymnwriter in her own right. For a time he held a postmaster’s job in Rome, PA. In 1875 he worked for three years as a teacher and director at Dr. Root’s Normal Music Institute. He because well-known and successful as a result, and his work attracted much attention. He had a rare tenor voice, and was told he should train for the operatic stage. It was a dazzling prospect, but his friend, Philip Bliss, who had given his wondrous voice to the service of song for Christ for more than a decade, urged him to do the same. Preparing to go on a Christmas vacation with his wife, Bliss wrote McGranahan a letter about it, which McGranahan discussed with his friend Major Whittle. Those two met in person for the first time at Ashtubula, OH, both trying to retrieve the bodies of the Bliss’s, who died in a bridge-failed train wreck. Whittle thought upon meeting McGranahan, that here is the man Bliss has chosen to replace him in evangelism. The men returned to Chicago together and prayed about the matter. McGranahan gave up his post office job and the world gained a sweet gospel singer/composer as a result. McGranahan and his wife, and Major Whittle worked together for 11 years evangelizing in the U.S., Great Britain, and Ireland. They made two visits to the United Kingdom, in 1880 and 1883, the latter associated with Dwight Moody and Ira Sankey evangelistic work. McGranahan pioneered use of the male choir in gospel song. While holding meetings in Worcester, MA, he found himself with a choir of only male voices. Resourcefully, he quickly adapted the music to those voices and continued with the meetings. The music was powerful and started what is known as male choir and quartet music. Music he published included: “The choice”, “Harvest of song”, “Gospel Choir”,, “Gospel hymns #3,#4, #5, #6” (with Sankey and Stebbins), “Songs of the gospel”, and “Male chorus book”. The latter three were issued in England. In 1887 McGranahan’s health compelled him to give up active work in evangelism. He then built a beautiful home, Maplehurst, among friends at Kinsman, OH, and settled down to the composition of music, which would become an extension of his evangelistic work. Though his health limited his hours, of productivity, some of his best hymns were written during these days. McGranahan was a most lovable, gentle, modest, unassuming, gentleman, and a refined and cultured Christian. He loved good fellowship, and often treated guests to the most delightful social feast. He died of diabetes at Kinsman, OH, and went home to be with his Savior. John Perry