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Russell Kelso Carter
1849 - 1928 Person Name: R. Kelso Carter Author of "The Beautiful Light" in Living Hymns Russel Kelso Carter was a professor in the Pennsylvania Military College of Chester. While there he was licensed to preach by the Methodist Episcopal Church. He became very active in leading camp meetings and revivals. After failing health forced him to abandon this work, he studied and became a medical doctor as well as a writer. He wrote novels as well as hymns.
Dianne Shapiro, from "The Singers and Their Songs: sketches of living gospel hymn writers" by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (Chicago: The Rodeheaver Company, 1916)
Russell Kelso Carter
John R. Sweney
1837 - 1899 Person Name: Jno. R. Sweney Composer of "[Jesus is the light, the way]" in Songs of Help John R. Sweney (1837-1899) was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and exhibited musical abilities at an early age. At nineteen he was studying with a German music teacher, leading a choir and glee club, and performing at children’s entertainments. By twenty-two he was teaching at a school in Dover, Delaware. Soon thereafter, he was put in charge of the band of the Third Delaware Regiment of the Union Army for the duration of the Civil War. After the war, he became Professor of Music at the Pennsylvania Military Academy, and director of Sweney’s Cornet Band. He eventually earned Bachelor and Doctor of Music degrees at the Academy.
Sweney began composing church music in 1871 and became well-known as a leader of large congregations. His appreciators stated “Sweney knows how to make a congregation sing” and “He had great power in arousing multitudes.” He also became director of music for a large Sunday school at the Bethany Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia of which John Wanamaker was superintendent (Wanamaker was the founder of the first major department store in Philadelphia). In addition to his prolific output of hymn melodies and other compositions, Sweney edited or co-edited about sixty song collections, many in collaboration with William J. Kirkpatrick. Sweney died on April 10, 1899, and his memorial was widely attended and included a eulogy by Wanamaker.
Joe Hickerson from "Joe's Jottings #9" used by permission
John R. Sweney
William Horn
1839 - 1917 Person Name: W. Horn Author of "Unser Wandel ist im Licht" in Silberklänge Horn, William. (Germany, May 1, 1839--April 27, 1917). Evangelical. Come to United States in 1855, settled in Wisconsin. Licensed in 1861, ordained elder 1866, presiding elder 1871, bishop 1891. Editor of various Evangelical German-language publications, including Das Evangelische Magazin and Christliche Kinderfreund. Editor of German weekly of the Evangelical Association, 1883, Christliche Botschafter.
Editor of Evangelisches Gesangbuch, 1877, for which he supplied a number of hymns. His most famous hymn was "Pure and free from all corruption." He wrote 24 hymns in all, and has been called one of the greatest of the German writers in America. Translated many English hymns into German.
Retired as bishop in 1915.
--Robert S. Wilson, DNAH Archives
--Ellen Jane Lorenz, DNAH Archives
William Horn was born in Germany May 1, 1839. He died in 1917. He came to U.S. in 1855 and settled in Wisconsin. Licensed in 1861, he rose through the ranks of ordained elder and bishop. He retired as Bishop in 1915 and died April 27, 1917.
He was the editor of various Evangelical German-lanuage publications
including EVANGELISCHES GESANGBUCH of 1877, for which he supplied a number of hymns.
Of his twenty-four hymns the most famous, according to Ellen J. Lorenz, was "Pure and free from all corruption". He also translated many English hymns into German.
—Mary L. VanDyke for Dictionary of American Hymnology, Oberlin College Library (14 December 2003)
William Horn
