Deus perto está!

Author: Gerhardt Tersteegen

Tersteegen, Gerhard, a pious and useful mystic of the eighteenth century, was born at Mörs, Germany, November 25, 1697. He was carefully educated in his childhood, and then apprenticed (1715) to his older brother, a shopkeeper. He was religiously inclined from his youth, and upon coming of age he secured a humble cottage near Mühlheim, where he led a life of seclusion and self-denial for many years. At about thirty years of age he began to exhort and preach in private and public gatherings. His influence became very great, such was his reputation for piety and his success in talking, preaching, and writing concerning spiritual religion. He wrote one hundred and eleven hymns, most of which appeared in his Spiritual Flower Garden (1731). He… Go to person page >

Translator: John Wesley

John Wesley, the son of Samuel, and brother of Charles Wesley, was born at Epworth, June 17, 1703. He was educated at the Charterhouse, London, and at Christ Church, Oxford. He became a Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, and graduated M.A. in 1726. At Oxford, he was one of the small band consisting of George Whitefield, Hames Hervey, Charles Wesley, and a few others, who were even then known for their piety; they were deridingly called "Methodists." After his ordination he went, in 1735, on a mission to Georgia. The mission was not successful, and he returned to England in 1738. From that time, his life was one of great labour, preaching the Gospel, and publishing his commentaries and other theological works. He died in London, in 17… Go to person page >

Translator: Joan Larie Sutton

Joan Larie Sutton (nee Riffey) was born in Louisville, KY but lived most of her life in Brazil with her missionary parents. She began the study of violin at the age of ten, continuing her studies at Baylor University. She earned a Masters Degree in sacred music at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. She married William Boyd Sutton and together they worked in Brazil. She translated many hymns into Portuguese.… Go to person page >

Translator: Simei Monteiro

Simei Monteiro is a Brazilian poet, composer, translator, author and editor. She was Born in Belém, PA, Brazil in 1943. Her songs and translations appear in several hymn books and collections of sacred songs in Brazil, Latin America, USA, Europe, and Asia. She has a degree in Portuguese, French Language and Literature, and a Degree in Artistic Education. She is interested in worship and the arts, and her book: The Song of Life, explores the relationship between Hymnody and Theology. Until 2010, she was a missionary of The United Methodist Church, serving with the World Council of Churches (WCC), in Geneva, Switzerland, in the position of Worship Consultant. Simei is married to a Methodist pastor and has two adult daughters, two g… Go to person page >