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Calvin Seerveld

b. 1930 Meter: 7.7.8.7 Author of "Holy Spirit, Mighty God" in Psalter Hymnal (Gray) Calvin Seerveld (b. 1930) was professor of aesthetics at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto from 1972 until he retired in 1995. Educated at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan; the University of Michigan; and the Free University of Amsterdam (Ph.D.), he also studied at Basel University in Switzerland, the University of Rome, and the University of Heidelberg. Seerveld began his career by teaching at Bellhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi (1958-1959), and at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois (1959-1972). A fine Christian scholar, fluent in various biblical and modern languages, he is published widely in aesthetics, biblical studies, and philosophy. His books include Take Hold of God and Pull (1966), The Greatest Song: In Critique of Solomon (1967), For God's Sake, Run with Joy (1972), Rainbows for the Fallen World: Aesthetic Life and Artistic Task (1980), and On Being Human (1988). He credits the Dutch musician Ina Lohr for influencing his compositions of hymn tunes. Most of his Bible versifications and hymns were written for the Psalter Hymnal (1987), on whose revision committee he ably served. Bert Polman

Theodore E. Perkins

1831 - 1912 Meter: 7.7.8.7 Composer of "[Come, O thou mighty Savior]" Theodore E. Perkins was born at Poughkeepsie, on the Hudson, N.Y., July 21, 1831. His father was a Baptist clergyman. The family of ten brothers and sisters sang and played various instruments, forming among themselves both choir and orchestra. His musical education began at the early age of three years. During his father's pastorate at Hamilton, N. Y., the choir rehearsals were often held at the parsonage, and the leader used to place the three-year-old on a small stool, on the table around which the choir was assembled, giving him a chance to both see and hear. Later on he played the violincello in church, standing on a stool in order to finger the instrument. The home gatherings — especially on Thanksgiving Day, are the recollections among the happiest of his childhood. His father became pastor of the Berean Baptist Church in New York City, in 1839, giving him the opportunity of studying the pianoforte, of which he became a proficient player. His fine alto voice soon gave him notoriety. At the age of nineteen while filling a position as clerk in New York, all his spare time was given to the study of voice and piano. In 1851 he went to Hamilton, N. Y., taught music in Madison University (now Colgate), and in the Female Seminary. In 1854 he went to Port Jervis, N. Y., where he taught singing school, and April 30, 1855, married Mary Frances Caskey, who was for years his soprano soloist in many musical Festivals and Conventions. Soon after marriage he removed to Salem, N. J., where his lifework as singing school teacher really began, including Bridgeton and prominent towns in southern New Jersey. During the summer of 1856 he and his wife were pupils of the Normal Academy of Music at North Reading, Mass., conducted by Drs. Lowell Mason and Geo. F. Root. During 1856-1858 he was given the position of assistant teacher and manager. His association with these two great men gave an inspiration to all his future work. In 1859 he was co-principal with Wm. B. Bradbury at the Normal Academy of Music, Geneseo, N. Y. He remained at Geneseo until 1863. Professor Perkins also held very successful schools in North Pelham Province of Ontario, Canada, and in 1864-1868 was principal in schools at Tunkhannock and Meadville, Pa. In 1860, The Olive Branch, his first book of church music, was published by F. J. Huntington, New York City, the sales reaching 100,000. Next was Oriental, which sold over 30,000. The Union, Glees and Anthems, and Sabbath Anthems followed ; then The Sacred Lute, which sold over 300,000. His Sunday-school books commenced with The Evergreen, followed by the Shining Star and New Shining Star. Then came Psalm King, which was the last of the books published by Mr. Huntington. Hallowed Songs was published by Philip Phillips; The Sunday School Banner was published by Wm. B. Bradbury. The Royal Standard was published in Toronto, Canada. The Golden Promise, Sabbath Carols, The Mount Zion Collection were published under his own supervision. His Free Sunday School Songs several times numbered over 500,000 a month. Coronation Songs with Rev. Dr. Deems as hymn editor was published by A. S. Barnes Co., who also published Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, in which Dr. C. S. Robinson was hymn editor, who with Professor Perkins edited Calvary Songs, published by the American S. S. Union. Gospel Tent Songs was evangelical. The Safe-Guard Singer was his temperance book. Mr. Perkins was musical director in the following churches in Brooklyn: The Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, Rev. Dr. Cuyler; Strong Place Baptist Church, Rev. E. E. L. Taylor, D. D.; Madison Avenue Baptist Church, Rev. H. G. Weston, D. D., L. L. D.; Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, Rev. Dr. Rice, followed by Dr. John Hall; The Memorial Presbyterian Church, Rev. Dr. C. S. Robinson, who was his close friend; The Church of the Holy Trinity, Rev. Dr. Tyng, Jr. ; Trinity Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. J. B. Simmons, and Washington Square M. E. Church. In Philadelphia: The Fifth Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. Chase; The Eleventh Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. Colman; The Tabernacle M. E. Church, Rev. George Gaul, D. D. He was leader and singer in Evangelistic Services, at the Rink, The Old Madison Square Garden and Cooper Union, all of New York City. The music of the first great meeting of the world's Evangelical Alliance, held for ten days in New York City, was under his direction, as was the first National Sunday School convention, held in Newark, N. J. He was also conductor at the Golden Anniversary of the Female Guardian Society, leading a chorus of forty-two hundred children. In the opening chorus, Great is the Lord, by Dr. Calcott, the word "Great" was given with so much decision and power that the clergymen on the platform sprang to their feet and remained standing until the chorus was finished. He taught voice culture in Princeton and Lafayette Universities, The Union Theological Seminary, New York City; Crozer Seminary, Chester, Pa., and organized the music department of Temple University, Philadelphia, continuing in charge four years. He had charge of the children's choir of Howard Mission, New York City, for twenty-five years, and thinks that some of the happiest and most restful of the working hours were spent in teaching the poor children of the fourth and sixth wards to sing the Gospel. Mr. Sankey said to Mr. Perkins that " Jesus of Nazareth was my banner song for eight years." Jesus is Mine has been sung at the Christian's death-bed, the grave, and once as the convict was going to the scaffold. His Christmas Carol Sweetly Carol had a very large sale in this country, and was republished in England, France, Italy, and Germany. For a period of forty years he has made the study of the voice special work. The most thorough investigations of the voice and its possibilities were made with the assistance of the late John Howard, extending over a period of twenty-five years, during which he has had the care of over two thousand voices. He published a work entitled, Physiological Yoice Culture, edited by his son, the late T. Edward Perkins, M. D., physician and throat specialist of Philadelphia. Mr. Perkins also completed a method of voice culture based on the principles of John Howard's Physiology of Artistic Singing." During these years of work he has found time to edit thirty-four books of church, Sunday-school, day-school, and glee music, the larger portion having been previously mentioned. Also songs and ballads in sheet form, and a cantata entitled, The Excursion, libretto by Fanny Crosby, with whom there has existed an unbroken friendship for over forty years. -Biography of Gospel Song and hymn Writers

Charles Wesley

1707 - 1788 Meter: 7.7.8.7 Author of "Praise to Jesus" Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King's Scholar, and as such received his board and education free. In 1726 Charles Wesley was elected to a Westminster studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1729, and became a college tutor. In the early part of the same year his religious impressions were much deepened, and he became one of the first band of "Oxford Methodists." In 1735 he went with his brother John to Georgia, as secretary to General Oglethorpe, having before he set out received Deacon's and Priest's Orders on two successive Sundays. His stay in Georgia was very short; he returned to England in 1736, and in 1737 came under the influence of Count Zinzendorf and the Moravians, especially of that remarkable man who had so large a share in moulding John Wesley's career, Peter Bonier, and also of a Mr. Bray, a brazier in Little Britain. On Whitsunday, 1737, [sic. 1738] he "found rest to his soul," and in 1738 he became curate to his friend, Mr. Stonehouse, Vicar of Islington, but the opposition of the churchwardens was so great that the Vicar consented that he "should preach in his church no more." Henceforth his work was identified with that of his brother John, and he became an indefatigable itinerant and field preacher. On April 8, 1749, he married Miss Sarah Gwynne. His marriage, unlike that of his brother John, was a most happy one; his wife was accustomed to accompany him on his evangelistic journeys, which were as frequent as ever until the year 1756," when he ceased to itinerate, and mainly devoted himself to the care of the Societies in London and Bristol. Bristol was his headquarters until 1771, when he removed with his family to London, and, besides attending to the Societies, devoted himself much, as he had done in his youth, to the spiritual care of prisoners in Newgate. He had long been troubled about the relations of Methodism to the Church of England, and strongly disapproved of his brother John's "ordinations." Wesley-like, he expressed his disapproval in the most outspoken fashion, but, as in the case of Samuel at an earlier period, the differences between the brothers never led to a breach of friendship. He died in London, March 29, 1788, and was buried in Marylebone churchyard. His brother John was deeply grieved because he would not consent to be interred in the burial-ground of the City Road Chapel, where he had prepared a grave for himself, but Charles said, "I have lived, and I die, in the Communion of the Church of England, and I will be buried in the yard of my parish church." Eight clergymen of the Church of England bore his pall. He had a large family, four of whom survived him; three sons, who all became distinguished in the musical world, and one daughter, who inherited some of her father's poetical genius. The widow and orphans were treated with the greatest kindness and generosity by John Wesley. As a hymn-writer Charles Wesley was unique. He is said to have written no less than 6500 hymns, and though, of course, in so vast a number some are of unequal merit, it is perfectly marvellous how many there are which rise to the highest degree of excellence. His feelings on every occasion of importance, whether private or public, found their best expression in a hymn. His own conversion, his own marriage, the earthquake panic, the rumours of an invasion from France, the defeat of Prince Charles Edward at Culloden, the Gordon riots, every Festival of the Christian Church, every doctrine of the Christian Faith, striking scenes in Scripture history, striking scenes which came within his own view, the deaths of friends as they passed away, one by one, before him, all furnished occasions for the exercise of his divine gift. Nor must we forget his hymns for little children, a branch of sacred poetry in which the mantle of Dr. Watts seems to have fallen upon him. It would be simply impossible within our space to enumerate even those of the hymns which have become really classical. The saying that a really good hymn is as rare an appearance as that of a comet is falsified by the work of Charles Wesley; for hymns, which are really good in every respect, flowed from his pen in quick succession, and death alone stopped the course of the perennial stream. It has been the common practice, however for a hundred years or more to ascribe all translations from the German to John Wesley, as he only of the two brothers knew that language; and to assign to Charles Wesley all the original hymns except such as are traceable to John Wesley through his Journals and other works. The list of 482 original hymns by John and Charles Wesley listed in this Dictionary of Hymnology have formed an important part of Methodist hymnody and show the enormous influence of the Wesleys on the English hymnody of the nineteenth century. -- Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ================== Charles Wesley, the son of Samuel Wesley, was born at Epworth, Dec. 18, 1707. He was educated at Westminster School and afterwards at Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated M.A. In 1735, he took Orders and immediately proceeded with his brother John to Georgia, both being employed as missionaries of the S.P.G. He returned to England in 1736. For many years he engaged with his brother in preaching the Gospel. He died March 29, 1788. To Charles Wesley has been justly assigned the appellation of the "Bard of Methodism." His prominence in hymn writing may be judged from the fact that in the "Wesleyan Hymn Book," 623 of the 770 hymns were written by him; and he published more than thirty poetical works, written either by himself alone, or in conjunction with his brother. The number of his separate hymns is at least five thousand. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872.

Anonymous

Person Name: Unknown Meter: 7.7.8.7 Composer of "BLESS OUR GIFTS" in Ambassador Hymnal In some hymnals, the editors noted that a hymn's author is unknown to them, and so this artificial "person" entry is used to reflect that fact. Obviously, the hymns attributed to "Author Unknown" "Unknown" or "Anonymous" could have been written by many people over a span of many centuries.

Sarah Flower Adams

1805 - 1848 Person Name: Sarah F. Adams Meter: 7.7.8.7 Author of "Part in Peace" in The Hymnbook Adams, Sarah, nee Flower. born at Harlow, Essex, Feb. 22nd, 1805; died in London, Aug. 14, 1848, and was buried at Harlow, Aug. 21,1848. She was the younger daughter of Mr. Benjamin Flower, editor and proprietor, of The Cambridge Intelligencer; and was married, in 1834, to William B. Adams, a civil engineer. In 1841 she published Vivia Perpetua, a dramatic poem dealing with the conflict of heathenism and Christianity, in which Vivia Perpetua suffered martyrdom; and in 1845, The Flock at the Fountain; a catechism and hymns for children. As a member of the congregation of the Rev. W. J. Fox, an Unitarian minister in London, she contributed 13 hymns to the Hymns and Anthems, published by C. Fox, Lond., in 1841, for use in his chapel. Of these hymns the most widely known are— "Nearer,my God,to Thee," and "He sendeth sun, He sendeth shower." The remaining eleven, most of which have come into common use, more especially in America, are:— Creator Spirit! Thou the first. Holy Spirit. Darkness shrouded Calvary. Good Friday. Gently fall the dews of eve. Evening. Go, and watch the Autumn leaves. Autumn. O hallowed memories of the past. Memories. O human heart! thou hast a song. Praise. O I would sing a song of praise. Praise. O Love! thou makest all things even. Love. Part in Peace! is day before us? Close of Service. Sing to the Lord! for His mercies are sure. Praise. The mourners came at break of day. Easter. Mrs. Adams also contributed to Novello's musical edition of Songs for the Months, n. d. Nearly all of the above hymns are found in the Unitarian collections of Great Britain, and America. In Martineau's Hymns of Praise & Prayer, 1873, No. 389, there is a rendering by her from Fenelon: —" Living or dying, Lord, I would be Thine." It appeared in the Hymns and Anthems, 1841. -John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Louise Ruspini

1900 - 2000 Meter: 7.7.8.7 Author of "Enter, rejoice, and come in"

Julia H. Johnston

1849 - 1919 Person Name: Julia Harriette Johnston, 1849-1919 Meter: 7.7.8.7 Author of "Jesus, Bless the Gifts We Bring" in Ambassador Hymnal Julia Harriet Johnston, who was born on Jan. 21, 1849, at Salineville, OH, in Columbiana County. Her father was a minister and he mother was a poet. She began writing when she was nine years old but really started writing verse in high school. She lived in Peoria, Ill. Dianne Shapiro, from "The Singers and Their Songs: sketches of living gospel hymn writers" by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (Chicago: The Rodeheaver Company, 1916)

Betty Wylder

1923 - 1994 Person Name: Betty A. Wylder, 1923- Meter: 7.7.8.7 Arranger of "REJOICE" in Singing the Living Tradition

David Evans

1874 - 1948 Meter: 7.7.8.7 Composer of "PAX VOBISCUM (Arthur)" David Evans (b. Resolven, Glamorganshire, Wales, 1874; d. Rosllannerchrugog, Denbighshire, Wales, 1948) was an important leader in Welsh church music. Educated at Arnold College, Swansea, and at University College, Cardiff, he received a doctorate in music from Oxford University. His longest professional post was as professor of music at University College in Cardiff (1903-1939), where he organized a large music department. He was also a well-known and respected judge at Welsh hymn-singing festivals and a composer of many orchestral and choral works, anthems, service music, and hymn tunes. Bert Polman

John Wilson

1905 - 1992 Meter: 7.7.8.7 Composer of "LAUDS" in Psalter Hymnal (Gray) Biographical article in the journal of the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland: https://hymnsocietygbi.org.uk/1992/10/treasure-no-58-john-wilson-1905-92