Ah, I shall soon be dying. J. Ryland. [Death anticipated.] Dr. Ryland's son says that this hymn was written by his father while walking through the streets of London, and dates it 1800, (S. MSS.). This date is an error, as the hymn appeared in the Evangelical Magazine, Oct. 1798, in 8 stanzas of 4 lines, as "Reflections," and with the note:—
"The following lines passed through the mind of a country minister as he was walking the streets of London, and considering how far several persons appeared now to be advanced in life whom he had known in their youth a very few years back, and how many others of his acquaintance had been already removed."
The hymn was repeated in the Baptist Register, 1800, p. 312, and in the 27th edition of Rippon's Selections 1827-8, No. 550. pt. iii. From thence it has passed into collections both in Great Britain and America. It is also included in Sedgwick's reprint of Dr. Ryland's Hymns, 1860.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Ryland, John, D.D., son of Rev. John Collett Ryland, was born at Warwick, Jan. 29, 1753. At that time his father was Baptist minister at Warwick, but in 1759 removed to Northampton. "J. Ryland, junior," as for many years he was accustomed to subscribe himself, was in 1781 ordained co-pastor with his father at Northampton. In 1794 he accepted the presidency of the Baptist College and the pastorate of the church in Broadmead, Bristol, and these offices he retained until his death on June 25, 1825. Dr. Ryland was a man of considerable literary culture, and received the degree of D.D. from Brown University, Rhode Island. He was one of the founders of the Baptist Missionary Society, and for the three years following the death of Rev. A. Fuller,… Go to person page >
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