William Johnson Fox › Texts

Fox, William Johnson, the son of a small farmer in Suffolk, was born in 1786. As a boy he worked as a weaver, but subsequently spent six years in a bank. He was educated for the ministry under Dr. Pye Smith, at Homerton. His first settlement was with an Orthodox Independent congregation; but he very soon became a Unitarian. In 1817 he settled in London as minister of the Parliament Court Chapel. In 1824 lie removed to a new chapel at South Place, Finsbury, where he remained until 1852. He was a prominent member of the Anti Corn-law League; joined in founding the Westminster Review, and from 1831 to 1836 was owner of the Monthly Repository. From 1847 to 1863 he sat in Parliament as member for Oldham. He died in 1864. In 1841 he published Hymns and Anthems, London, Charles Fox. This, collection contained 150 selections from various authors, including Mrs. Sarah Adams, who was a member of his congregation. He included 13 of his own hymns. A new and enlarged edition of his Hymns, &c, was published in 1873. A memorial edition of his Works was published in 12 vols. in 1865.

His hymns which have come into common use outside of his collection include:—
1. A little child in bulrush ark. Moses.
2. Call them from the dead. The Spirits of the Past.
3. Gracious Power, the world pervading. Public Worship.
4. In the plan divine. Perfection of God's designs.
5. Jews were wrought to cruel madness. Good Friday. B. V. M. at the Cross.
6. The sage his cup of hemlock quaffed. Resignation.
[Rev. Valentine D. David, B.A.]

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)