Annie Johnson Flint
Annie Johnson was born in Vineland, New Jersey, on Christmas Eve 1866. Her parents, Eldon and Jean rejoiced in the gift of their early Christmas present daughter. Nearly three years later, all the joy of that Christmas disappeared in a flood of sorrow, as Annie’s mom died at the age of 23, soon after giving…
Read MoreCharles H. Gabriel
Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (August 18, 1856 – September 14, 1932) was a writer of gospel songs and composer of gospel tunes. He is said to have written and/or composed between 7,000 and 8,000 songs, many of which are available in 21st century hymnals. He used several pseudonyms, including Charlotte G. Homer, H. A. Henry, and S. B. Jackson.…
Read MoreHoratio Spafford
Horatio Spafford’s name may not be widely known, but the hymn he composed in the depths of personal grief has resonated across generations. Born in Troy, New York, in 1828, Spafford built a successful life in Chicago as a lawyer and real estate investor. Yet his true legacy was not in wealth or profession but…
Read MoreFanny Crosby
The “Queen of Gospel Song Writers” came into this world on March 24, 1820. Fanny Crosby was the only child of John and his second wife, Mercy Crosby. She had a half-sister from her father’s first marriage. Hardship came to her early in life, and without her full recognition. At six weeks old, her eye…
Read MoreJoseph Mohr
The world’s most beloved Christmas Carol, Silent Night, comes from the small Austrian village of Oberndorf, just north of Salzburg. On Christmas Eve, 1818, the congregation of St. Nicholas Church heard the first performance of this wonderful music. Since then, Silent Night was been translated into hundreds of languages and sung and played in every corner…
Read MoreJohn Newton
John Newton was an Anglican clergyman and former slave ship master. It took him a long time to speak out against the Slave Trade but he had an influence on many young evangelical Christians, particularly William Wilberforce. At just 11 years old, Newton went to sea with his father. In 1743 he was on his…
Read MoreJohn Francis Wade
John Francis Wade was a Catholic layman who lived in Lancashire, England. At the age of 32, Wade produced a Latin Christmas carol, Adeste Fidelis. Though scholars once thought the music was simply Wade’s copy of an ancient hymn, further research has led most to conclude that Wade composed the lyrics and music himself. Since that time,…
Read MoreIsaac Watts
In the years immediately after the Protestant Reformation, non-Roman Churches in the West were divided on the question of hymns. The Lutherans and Moravians immediately began to develop a rich tradition of hymns in the vernacular. Most of those in the Calvinist tradition, on the other hand, maintained that God had provided His people with…
Read MoreCharles Wesley
The Rev. Charles Wesley, M A., “sweet singer of Methodism” and arguably the greatest hymn writer ever, died on March 29th 1788. As a hymn writer he needs no introduction. His hymns show little sign of losing their appeal after more than 200 years. However, little else is commonly known about the life of one…
Read More