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Haldor Lillenas

1885 - 1959 Person Name: H. L. Hymnal Number: 49 Author of "Dusky hands are reaching for the bread of life" in Reformation Glory Rv Haldor Lillenas DMus Norway/USA 1885-1959. Born at Stord, near Bergen, Norway, his father sold their 15 acre farm in Norway and emigrated to the U.S., buying a farm in Colton, SD. After he built a sod house, the family (wife and three chldren) also came to SD in 1887. They moved to Astoria, Oregon in 1889, where Lillenas learned English and began writing song lyrics at an early age. In 1900 the family moved again to Roseville, MN, where he worked as a farm laborer and began attending a Lutheran high school at Hawick, MN. He sold a few songs at age 19. At age 21 he began writing more songs, encouraged by some earlier ones becoming popular (“He set me free” was one). His mother died in 1906 and his father returned to ND, but Lillenas decided to move back to Astoria, OR, to finish a chemical correspondence course he had been taking. There he found employment in a chemical factory. He started attending a Lutheran church, but one evening he heard the song, “Tell mother I’ll be there”, sung at a mission. It made him decide to commit his life to Christ. An elderly lady who worked there told him about Jesus, and he began attending the Peniel Mission, a holiness rescue mission in Astoria, OR. He started working at the mission himself. In 1907 he moved to Portland, OR, where he worked with the Peniel Mission there, the mission paying most of his expenses. He was appointed leader of the mission. He saw many there come to know Christ and felt called to the Lord’s work. He joined the First Church of the Nazarene in Portland. Soon he enrolled in a ministerial course of study by correspondence. Soon afterward, he joined a vocal group associated with the Salvation Army called the ‘Charioteers Brigade’, which held street meetings and revival services throught much of CA. As a result of generous donations made, and efforts by his pastor, A O Hendricks, he was able to attend Pacific Bible College (later renamed Pasadena College), Los Angeles, CA. He also found part-time work to help support himself. He was soon a music director at a local church, and was preaching and writing songs. He also studied voice at the Lyric School of Music in Los Angeles, CA. While at Deets, he met and married Bertha Mae Wilson, also on an evangelistic team. Both preached. She was a songwriter like he. They practiced music at her father’s house and found that their voices blended well. They had two children: Evangline, and Wendell. They eventually became elders in the Nazarene Church, and she eventually became an ordained minister as well. He also studied music at the Siegel-Myers School of Music Chicago, IL. He composed songs for cantatas, Christmas, Easter, and special day services. He also used several pseudonyms in their composition. He traveled as an evangelist, then he pastored several churches (1910-1924) at Lompoc, CA, then Redlands, CA, and later in Indianapolis, IN. While there, In 1924, he founded the Lillenas Music Company (bought by the Nazarene Publishing Company in 1930). His wife preached at their pastorate until he was able to get the company up and running. While they owned the company, they published more than 700,000 hymnals. He worked as an editor there (after selling his company) until his retirement in 1950, becoming an advisor for them until his death. Also that year Lillenas purchased a 500 acre rural estate in Miller County, MO, where they built an Ozark home called ‘Melody Lane’. Lillenas joined the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1938. In 1941 he received an honorable doctorate degree from Olivet Nazarene College, Bourbonnais, IL. In 1945 Bertha died of cancer, and later that year Lillenas remarried to a Lola Dell, and they lived in Melody Lane until 1955, when they moved to Pasadena, CA, attending the Nazarene Church there. They also made three trips to Norway after his retirement, and he wrote three books during that time: “Modern gospel song stories (1952), “Down Melody Lane (an autobiography): (1953), “Motoring 11,000 miles through Norway-A guide for tourists” (1955). In 1955 they toured Israel and sponsored a Palestinian Greek Orthodox family he had met as immigrants to the US that included Sirhan Bishara Sirhan (born in 1944). After they arrived in Pasadena, the Sirhan family stayed with Lillenas for several months, after which the Sirhans moved to a home Lillenas rented and furnished to them. When Mary Sirhan’s husband abandoned her and her two sons and returned to Jordan, Lillenas ensured that they were able to remain in the US. S B Sirhan was the convicted killer of Robert Kennedy. Lillenas wrote some 4000 hymn lyrics, supplying some for evangelists. Four of his song books contain his hymns: “Special sacred songs” (1919), “New Sacred Songs”, “Strains of love”, and “Special sacred songs #2”. He died at Aspen, CO. He is buried at Kansas City, MO. He was an author, editor, compiler, composer, and contributor. He edited and compiled over 50 song books. John Perry

George Heath

1745 - 1822 Hymnal Number: 164 Author of "My soul, be on thy guard" in Reformation Glory Rv George Heath DD United Kingdom 1745-1822. Born at Exeter, Devon, England, he was educated at the Dissenting Academy and King’s College, Cambridge. He married Mary Ann Kean, and they had 4 children: Louisa, John, Charles, and Benjamin (also a minister). He served as pastor of the Honiton, Devonshire, Presbyterian Church, but proved unworthy and was dismissed for cause. He later became a Unitarian minister. In 1781 he published “Hymns & poetic essays sacred to the worship of the Deity”. He also authored a “History of Bristol”. He became Headmaster of Eton College (1792-1802). He joined the Anglican Church and became Canon of Windsor (1800-1822), Rector of Monks Risborough, Vicar of Sturminster Marshall, Dorset, Vicar of Piddletown, Vicar of East Beachsworth (1805-1814), and Fellow of the Royal Society (1795-1822). He was appointed to the 4th stall in St. George’s Chapel in 1800, Windsor Castle, and died at his residence in the Cloisters, Windsor Castle. John Perry ======================= Heath, George, became pastor of a Presbyterian Church at Honiton, Devon, in 1770, and died in 1822. He published a History of Bristol, 1797. Also Hymns and Poetic Essays Sacred to the Public and Private Worship of the Deity, &c, Bristol, 1781, from which "My soul, be on thy guard" (Steadfastness), is taken. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

A. L. Byers

1869 - 1952 Hymnal Number: 16 Composer of "[A happy religion each one may possess]" in Reformation Glory Andrew Linnaeus Byers was born on August 26, 1869 in Albany, Illinois. Byers’ mother was song writer Nancy Byers. In 1890 he became involved with Daniel Warner & Barney Warren in evangelistic work; later joined the Gospel Trumpet publishing company as music editor for a year. He left that work because of health problems and worked as an evangelist and pastor in Idaho & Oregon before taking a pastorate in Sacramento, California, in 1934. He died on November 9, 1952 in Sacramento, California. His works include: Birth of a Reformation: The Life and Labors of D. S. Warner, 1922 NN, Hymnary.

Mrs. J. G. Wilson

Hymnal Number: 19 Composer of "[Sing the wondrous love of Jesus]" in Reformation Glory See Wilson, Emily D. (Emily Divine), 1865-1942.

C. M. F.

Person Name: Psalm 23 Hymnal Number: 153 Author of "The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want" in Reformation Glory

William J. Henry

1867 - 1955 Person Name: W. J. Henry Hymnal Number: 25 Composer (melody) of "When first I started to seek the Lord" in Reformation Glory Originally from Ohio, Henry was an early leader in the Holiness Movement near Boyertown, Pennsylvania. In 1889 he, answered a call to hold revival meetings in eastern Pennsylvania. Denominational leaders had received requests from congregations there, but had no one to send. Though Henry was only 22 years old, he proved a very effective organizer. He toured eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey for several months each year till 1895. He became a very active evangelist and song writer, holding meetings in every American state and in Britain. --www.hymntime.com/tch ================== The song, “I Cannot Be Idle,” was written by William J. Henry, in 1897. He got saved from his sins at the age of 20 (in 1882), and he wrote this song at the age of 35 years old. He got saved at an evangelistic meeting, took his stand with the church of God, and he was called to the ministry nine years later, in 1891. Two years later (at the age of 31 years old), he made his first trip to spread the gospel overseas. A small congregation in Liverpool, England, was started through his laboring. Henry could not be idle! Later, he started a congregation in Springfield, Missouri, where he pastored for 13 years. He wrote more than 300 songs. At the age of 73 years old, Henry and his wife wrote: “To God be all the glory! This has been the busiest and happiest time of our lives. We are both enjoying the best of health and are decided to do more for [God] in the future.” He died 20 years later. --www.churchofgodfca.com/

Clara McAlister Brooks

1882 - 1980 Person Name: Clara M. Brooks Hymnal Number: 148 Author of "Our Father's wondrous works we see" in Reformation Glory Birth: Oct. 9, 1882, Parke County, Indiana, USA Death: Mar. 20, 1980, Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA Clara McAlister Brooks was one of our early songwriters and four of her pieces are in the current hymnal. From the earliest days of the movement we have had women prominent in all forms of our ministry—missionaries, evangelists, teachers, pastors, and God has honored their sacrificial labors. For that reason we can stand in amazement when here, in the 1970s, such old-line denominations as the Episcopal church are being racked with controversy over whether the ordination of women is permissible. But before we gather Pharisaic robes about ourselves, perhaps we need to look candidly at the way in which we, too, succumbed to some of the cultural and prejudicial patterns of later decades! --www.whwomenclergy.org/articles/

B. B. Beall

1874 - 1945 Hymnal Number: 42 Composer of "[How to reach the masses]" in Reformation Glory Benjamin Burke (B. B.) Beall, was born on May 25, 1874, Dallas, Georgia. Benjamin graduated in music and elocution from the Texas Musical Institute. He ran the B. B. Beall publishing company in Douglasville, Georgia. He died on October 7, 1945, in Douglasville, Georgia. Some of his publications: Bright Beautiful Bells (Birmingham, Alabama: B. B. Beal & Company, 1900) Gems for the Sunday Schools (Douglasville, Georgia: B. B. Beall & Company, 1902) Lasting Songs, B. B. Beall et al (Douglasville, Georgia: B. B. Beall & Company, 1910) NN, Hymnary editor. Source: www.hymntime.com/tch/

J. E. Thomas

1860 - 1946 Hymnal Number: 8 Composer of "[I've left the vale of darkness and am free from doubt and sin]" in Reformation Glory J. Edmond Thomas Born: December 6, 1860, Calhoun County, Arkansas. Died: April 30, 1946, Fort Worth, Texas. Buried: Greenwood Cemetery, Fort Worth, Texas. Note: Some sources give his first name as John; his tombstone says James. Thomas was the husband of Courtney Lee Wigley and Pearl Hatchett (married 1923) In 1874, his family moved from their farm in Texas to Arkansas. His father died later that year. As the oldest son, he had his hands full supporting the family, but he managed to begin attending a vocal school at age 17, under Professor T. A. Bridges. He later studied under Horatio Palmer and George A. Goodrich. He began a full time music career in 1890, and with Franklin Eiland and John M. Greer, and helped found the Trio Music Company in Waco, Texas, in 1892. He went on to establish the Quartet Music Company in Fort Worth, Texas. A teacher, composer, music compiler, and publisher for over 44 years. © The Cyber Hymnal™ (www.hymntime.com/tch)

G. E. Wright

1875 - 1962 Person Name: G. E. W. Hymnal Number: 6 Author of "Jesus is My Sunlight" in Reformation Glory Probably George Edward Wright from Groesbeck, Texas, brother of John Braselton Fillmore Wright (J. B. F. Wright)