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Samuel Medley

1738 - 1799 Hymnal Number: aCXXIX Author of "Mortals, awake, with angels join" in A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, intended to be an Appendix to Dr. Watts' Psalms & Hymns. 2nd Baltimore ed. Medley, Samuel, born June 23, 1738, at Cheshunt, Herts, where his father kept a school. He received a good education; but not liking the business to which he was apprenticed, he entered the Royal Navy. Having been severely wounded in a battle with the French fleet off Port Lagos, in 1759, he was obliged to retire from active service. A sermon by Dr. Watts, read to him about this time, led to his conversion. He joined the Baptist Church in Eagle Street, London, then under the care of Dr. Gifford, and shortly afterwards opened a school, which for several years he conducted with great success. Having begun to preach, he received, in 1767, a call to become pastor of the Baptist church at Watford. Thence, in 1772, he removed to Byrom Street, Liverpool, where he gathered a large congregation, and for 27 years was remarkably popular and useful. After a long and painful illness he died July 17, 1799. Most of Medley's hymns were first printed on leaflets or in magazines (the Gospel Magazine being one). They appeared in book form as:— (1) Hymns, &c. Bradford, 1785. This contains 42 hymns. (2) Hymns on Select Portions of Scripture by the Rev. Mr. Medley. 2nd ed. Bristol. W. Pine. 1785. This contains 34 hymns, and differs much from the Bradford edition both in the text and in the order of the hymns. (3) An enlargement of the same in 1787. (4) A small collection of new Hymns, London, 1794. This contains 23 hymns. (5) Hymns. The Public Worship and Private Devotion of True Christians Assisted in some thoughts in Verse; principally drawn from Select Passages of the Word of God. By Samuel Medley. London. Printed for J. Johnson. 1800. A few of his hymns are also found in a Collection for the use of All Denominations, published in London in 1782. Medley's hymns have been very popular in his own denomination, particularly among the more Calvinistic churches. In Denham's Selections there are 48, and in J. Stevens's Selections, 30. Their charm consists less in their poetry than in the warmth and occasional pathos with which they give expression to Christian experience. In most of them also there is a refrain in the last line of each verse which is often effective. Those in common use include:— 1. Come, join ye saints, with heart and voice. (1800). Complete in Christ. 2. Death is no more among our foes. Easter. 3. Eternal Sovereign Lord of all. (1789). Praise for Providential Care. 4. Far, far beyond these lower skies. (1789). Jesus, the Forerunner. 5. Father of mercies, God of love, whose kind, &c. (1789.) New Year. 6. Great God, today Thy grace impart. Sermon. 7. Hear, gracious God! a sinner's cry. (1789). Lent. 8. In heaven the rapturous song began. Christmas. 9. Jesus, engrave it on my heart. (1789). Jesus, Needful to all. 10. Mortals, awake, with angels join. (1782). Christmas. 11. My soul, arise in joyful lays. (1789). Joy in God. 12. Now, in a song of grateful praise. Praise to Jesus. In the Gospel Magazine, June, 1776. 13. O could I speak the matchless worth. (1789.) Praise of Jesus. 14. O for a bright celestial ray. Lent. 15. O God, Thy mercy, vast and free. (1800). Dedication of Self to God. 16. O let us tell the matchless love. Praise to Jesus. 17. O what amazing words of grace. (1789). Foutain of Living Waters. 18. Saints die, and we should gently weep. (1800). Death and Burial. From his "Dearest of Names, Our Lord and King." 19. See a poor sinner, dearest Lord. Lent. 20. Sing the dear Saviour's glorious fame. (1789). Jesus the Breaker of bonds. In 1800 a Memoir of Medley was published by his son, which is regarded by members of the family now living as authoritative. But in 1833 appeared another Memoir by Medley's daughter Sarah, to which are appended 52 hymns for use on Sacramental occasions. These she gives as her father's. But 8 of them are undoubtedly by Thos. Kelly, published by him in 1815, and reprinted in subsequent editions of his Hymns. The remainder are by Medley. Nearly all of these 52 hymns (both Medley's and Kelly's) have been altered in order to adapt them to Sacramental use. In Sarah Medley's volume, Kelly's hymns all follow one another, and three of them are in a metre which Medley apparently never used. What could have been Sarah Medley's motive in all this it is hard to divine. She is said to have been a clever, though unamiable woman, and was herself the author of a small volume of Poems published in 1807. In the Memoir she does not conceal her hatred of her brother. [Rev. W. R. Stevenson, M.A.] -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Joseph Addison

1672 - 1719 Hymnal Number: aXXXVI Author of "How are thy servants blest, O Lord [God]" in A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, intended to be an Appendix to Dr. Watts' Psalms & Hymns. 2nd Baltimore ed. Addison, Joseph, born at Milston, near Amesbury, Wiltshire, May 1, 1672, was the son of the Rev. Lancelot Addison, sometime Dean of Lichfield, and author of Devotional Poems, &c, 1699. Addison was educated at the Charterhouse, and at Magdalen College, Oxford, graduating B.A. 1691 and M.A. 1693. Although intended for the Church, he gave himself to the study of law and politics, and soon attained, through powerful influence, to some important posts. He was successively a Commissioner of Appeals, an Under Secretary of State, Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Chief Secretary for Ireland. He married, in 1716, the Dowager Countess of Warwick, and died at Holland House, Kensington, June 17, 1719. Addison is most widely known through his contributions to The Spectator, The Toiler, The Guardian, and The Freeholder. To the first of these he contributed his hymns. His Cato, a tragedy, is well known and highly esteemed. Addison's claims to the authorship of the hymns usually ascribed to him, or to certain of them, have been called in question on two occasions. The first was the publication, by Captain Thompson, of certain of those hymns in his edition of the Works of Andrew Marvell, 1776, as the undoubted compositions of Marvell; and the second, a claim in the Athenaeum, July 10th, 1880, on behalf of the Rev. Richard Richmond. Fully to elucidate the subject it will be necessary, therefore, to give a chronological history of the hymns as they appeared in the Spectator from time to time. i. The History of the Hymns in The Spectator. This, as furnished in successive numbers of the Spectator is :— 1. The first of these hymns appeared in the Spectator of Saturday, July 26, 1712, No. 441, in 4 stanzas of 6 lines. The article in which it appeared was on Divine Providence, signed “C." The hymn itself, "The Lord my pasture shall prepare," was introduced with these words:— "David has very beautifully represented this steady reliance on God Almighty in his twenty-third psalm, which is a kind of pastoral hymn, and filled with those allusions which are usual in that kind of writing As the poetry is very exquisite, I shall present my readers with the following translation of it." (Orig. Broadsheet, Brit. Mus.) 2. The second hymn appeared in the Spectator on Saturday, Aug. 9, 1712, No. 453, in 13 st. of 4 1., and forms the conclusion of an essay on " Gratitude." It is also signed " C," and is thus introduced:— “I have already obliged the public with some pieces of divine poetry which have fallen into my hands, and as they have met with the reception which they deserve, I shall, from time to time, communicate any work of the same nature which has not appeared in print, and may be acceptable to my readers." (Orig. Broadsheet, British Museum) Then follows the hymn:—"When all Thy mercies, 0 my God." 3. The number of the Spectator for Tuesday, Aug. 19, 1712, No. 461, is composed of three parts. The first is an introductory paragraph by Addison, the second, an unsigned letter from Isaac Watts, together with a rendering by him of Ps. 114th; and the third, a letter from Steele. It is with the first two we have to deal. The opening paragraph by Addison is:— “For want of time to substitute something else in the Boom of them, I am at present obliged to publish Compliments above my Desert in the following Letters. It is no small Satisfaction, to have given Occasion to ingenious Men to employ their Thoughts upon sacred Subjects from the Approbation of such Pieces of Poetry as they have seen in my Saturday's papers. I shall never publish Verse on that Day but what is written by the same Hand; yet shall I not accompany those Writings with Eulogiums, but leave them to speak for themselves." (Orig. Broadsheet, British Museum

James Allen

1734 - 1804 Hymnal Number: aCCCLXXXVII Author of "Glory to God on high, Let earth and skies reply" in A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, intended to be an Appendix to Dr. Watts' Psalms & Hymns. 2nd Baltimore ed. Allen, James, born at Gayle, Wensleydale, Yorkshire, June 24, 1734, and educated with a view to taking Holy Orders, first with two clergymen at different times, and then for one year at St. John's Coll., Cambridge. Leaving the University in 1752 he became a follower of Benjamin Ingham, the founder of the sect of the Inghamites, but subsequently joined himself to the Sandemanians; and finally built a chapel on his estate at Gayle, and ministered therein to the time of his death; died 31st Oct., 1804. He published a small volume, Christian Songs, containing 17 hymns, and was the editor and a principal contributor to the Kendal Hymn Book, 1757, and Appendix to the 2nd edition, 1761. -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

John Needham

? - 1786 Person Name: John Needham, d. c. 1786 Hymnal Number: aCCCC Author of "Deluded souls, who think to find [grasp]" in A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, intended to be an Appendix to Dr. Watts' Psalms & Hymns. 2nd Baltimore ed. Needham, John, was the son of John Needham, Baptist Minister, of Hitchin, Herts, but the date of his birth is unknown. He would doubtless be educated by his father, who was a tutor and in repute as a learned man. In 1750 Needham became co-pastor with John Beddome at the Baptist meetinghouse in the Pithay, Bristol; but, two years later, Beddome having retired through age, a violent controversy arose in the Church with regard to a continuance of the plan of co-pastorship. As the result, Needham and a number of his friends removed to a Baptist meetinghouse in Callowhill Street, where a Mr. Foot was pastor. For a time the two societies used the same builing at different hours, but in 1755 they were united, with Mr. Needham and Mr. Foot as co-pastors. It is known that up to 1774 this arrangement continued, and it is also known that in 1787, both Mr. Needham and Mr. Foot having died, the Callowhill Street Church became extinct, but which of the two pastors was the survivor is not known. The date of Needham's death is unknown. It was probably circa 1786. In 1768 he published Hymns Devotional and Moral on various Subjects, collected chiefly from the Holy Scriptures, &c, Bristol, S. Farley, 1768. These hymns are 263 in all, and whilst none of them possess great excellence, yet several are of a pleasing and useful character. During the past 120 years several have appeared in Nonconformist hymnbooks, and specially in those of the Baptists. Of these the following are still in common use:— 1. Ashamed of Christ! my soul disdains. Not ashamed of Christ. 2. Awake, my tongue, thy tribute bring. The Divine Perfections. 3. Glory to God, Who reigns above. Jesus, the Messiah. 4. Great author of the immortal mind. Imitation of God's Moral Perfections. From "flow matchless, Lord, Thy glories are." 5. Happy the man whose cautious steps. Christian Moderation. 6. Holy and reverend is the Name. Reverence in Worship. 7. Kind are the words that Jesus speaks. Christ the Strengthener. 8. Lord,ere [Now Lord] the heavenly seed is sown. Parable of the Sower. 9. Methinks the last great day is come. The Judgment. 10. Rise, O my soul, pursue the path. The Example of the Saints. 11. See how the little toiling ant. Youth for Christ. 12. Thou art, O God, a Spirit pure. God a Spirit. 13. To praise the ever bounteous Lord. Harvest. 14. When some kind shepherd from his fold. The Lost Sheep. From this “O how divine, how sweet the joy," in Hatfield's Church Hymn Book, New York, 1872, is taken. [Rev. W. R. Stevenson, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

John Adams

1751 - 1835 Hymnal Number: aCVIII Author of "Jesus is our great salvation" in A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, intended to be an Appendix to Dr. Watts' Psalms & Hymns. 2nd Baltimore ed. Adams, John. (Northampton, England 1751-May 15, 1835, Northampton). Baptist. Apprenticed to an iron monger. At age eighteen, united with Baptist church in Northampton of which John Collett Ryland was pastor. Later excluded from the church because of a change of view. After retiring from business, he moved his residence several times bur subsequently returned to Northampton, where he died. His first hymns were published in the Gospel Magazine in 1776. One hymn ascribed to "S. P. R." in Service of Song but written by Adams begins: Jesus is our great salvation, Worthy of our best esteem! This hymn appearing also in Rippon's Selection of 1813 concerns salvation by election as does one other hymn: Sons we are through God's election. Many of Adams' hymns remain in manuscript. -Deborah Carlton Loftis, DNAH Archives

James Maxwell

1720 - 1800 Person Name: J. Maxwell Hymnal Number: aCLI Author of "How shall I my [we our] Savior set forth" in A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, intended to be an Appendix to Dr. Watts' Psalms & Hymns. 2nd Baltimore ed. Maxwell, James , was born in Renfrewshire in 1720. In his youth he journeyed to England with a hardware pack, but eventually returning to Scotland, he followed the joint occupation of schoolmaster and poet. In 1783, during a famine in Scotland he was reduced to great destitution, and had to earn his bread by breaking stones on the highway. Most of his publications (from 30 to 40 in all) were produced after that period. The two works in which we are interested are:— (1) Hymns and Spiritual Songs. In Three Books. 1759. (2) A New Version of the whole of the Book of Psalms in Metre; by James Maxwell, S. D. P. [Student of Divine Poetry.] Glasgow, 1773. From the former of these the following hymns are in common use:— 1. All glory to the eternal Three. Holy Trinity. 2. Didst Thou, dear Jesus [Saviour], suffer shame. Resignation and Courage. 3. Go forth, ye heralds, in my Name. Missions. The last of these is in somewhat extensive use in America, where it appeared as early as in the Prayer Book Collection, 1789. Maxwell died at Paisley (where he was known as the Paisley Poet, or as he put it on the title-page of some of his books, Poet in Paisley) in 1800. [Rev. J. T. Bingley, L.R.A.M., F.G.O.] -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Andrew Kippis

1725 - 1795 Hymnal Number: d14 Author of "A General Thanksgiving" in A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, intended to be an Appendix to Dr. Watts' Psalms & Hymns. 2nd Baltimore ed. Kippis, Andrew, D.D., was born at Nottingham, March 28,1725, and educated for the ministry under Dr. Doddridge at Northampton, 1741-46. After a short residence with congregations at Boston and Dorking, he settled in London in 1753, as minister of the Princes Street Chapel, Westminster. There lie remained till his death in 1795, holding rank as the leading Presbyterian minister in the metropolis. For many years he was classical tutor at the Hoxton Academy, and afterwards at the Hackney College. He contributed largely to the Gentleman's Magazine and the Monthly Review, and edited five volumes of a new edition of the Biographia Britannica, a work commenced in 1778, and interrupted by his death on Oct. 8, 1795. His Life of Captain Cook was also published separately, and to his edition of Lardner's Works (1788) a Memoir was prefixed. His degree of D.D. was con¬ferred by the University of Edinburgh in 1767. He was joint editor of A Collection of Hymns and Psalms for Public and Private Worship, selected and prepared by Andrew Kippis, D.D., &c. ; Abraham Rees, D.D., &c.; Rev. Thomas Jervis, and Rev. Thomas Mor¬gan, LL.D., London, 1795. This collection, commonly known as Kippis's, but sometimes as Kees's, passed through many editions, a Supplement being added in 1807, and was very generally used during the early decades of this century by congregations of Presbyterians and others, then become Unitarian in London and throughout the country [Unitarian Hymnody, § 9]. It contained 690 hymns. The aim of the editors in their selection was to avoid “everything of a doubtful or disputable kind," and they adopt the language of Dr. Watts in the preface to his Hymns, "The contentious and distinguishing word of sects and parties are excluded." The alterations and omissions to adapt various hymns to the standard of the editors are considerable, though very little compared to what was done by others before and after them. The tone of the collection is somewhat colourless, and it gradually gave place among Unitarians to others which contained fuller and more varied expression of distinctively Christian feeling. Two hymns by Kippis appear in this Collection. 1. Great God, in vain man's narrow view, The Incomprehensibility of God, which was generally adopted in later Unitarian books, and appears in Martineau's Hymns, 1840 and 1873. 2. How rich thy gifts, Almighty King, National Thanksgiving, which is four stanzas of the hymn, "Say, should we search the globe around," written for the thanksgiving appointed Nov. 29,1759, and appended to his Sermon on that occasion. It was given in full in Pope's Collection, 1760; and the Liverpool Octagon Collection, 1763. In Lindsey's Collection, 1774, five stanzas are given; in other early books only four, as in Kippis. The last two stanzas, somewhat altered, appear anonymously as: "With grateful hearts, with joyful tongues," in the Congregational Hymn Book, 1836, and the New Congregational Hymn Book, 1859. [Rev. Valentine. D. David, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Sarah Slinn

1758 - 1831 Hymnal Number: aCLXXIV Author of "God with us, O glorious name, Let it shine" in A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, intended to be an Appendix to Dr. Watts' Psalms & Hymns. 2nd Baltimore ed. Slinn, Sarah. In the Gospel Magazine for July 1779 a hymn in 9 stanzas of 4 lines was given beginning "God with us! 0 glorious Name;" headed "Emanuel; or, God with us. By a Lady," and signed "S. S—N." In Rippon's Baptist Selection, 1787, st. i. ii. vi. iii. iv. with alterations, and in the order named, were given as No. 174, but without signature. In J. Dobell's New Selection, 1806, the same text is repeated as from Wood's Collection The same text was again repeated to modern hymnbooks, and is that now in common use. From D.Sedgwick's manscripts we find the signature "S. S—N." was filled in as Sarah Slinn by him, but his papers do not furnish any authority for the name, nor for the date of 1777 which he has attached thereto in his manuscript note to Dobell's New Selection. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Joshua Spalding

Hymnal Number: aCCCLXXXI Author of "O that the Lord indeed would me, his servant" in A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, intended to be an Appendix to Dr. Watts' Psalms & Hymns. 2nd Baltimore ed.

Joseph Straphan

b. 1757 Hymnal Number: aCCCLVIII Author of "Our Father, whose eternal sway" in A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, intended to be an Appendix to Dr. Watts' Psalms & Hymns. 2nd Baltimore ed. Straphan, Joseph. This author contributed 3 hymns to Rippon's Baptist Selection, 1787 (see p. 149, i.), viz.:—(1) "Blest is the man whose heart expands" (Education of the Young, (2) "On wings of faith mount up, my soul, and rise" (Heaven anticipated); and (3) "Our Father, Whose eternal sway" (Divine Worship). From No. 1 two centos have been taken:—(1) "Blest work the youthful mind to win," in several collections in Great Britain; and (2), "Delightful work, young souls to win," in use in America. Straphan's birth is given as 1757. From a hymn in the Gospel Magazine, we find that he resided at that time at Hanley. Further details are wanting. [Rev. W. R. Stephenson] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)