When we awake beyond the rolling river

Author: Francis Foster

Early 20th Century Francis Foster is a virtual unknown, except for a few facts and the words we can read of his devotion to God. He wrote a handful of songs, among them many which were published in two Sparkling Jewels collections by Samuel Beazley and James Ruebush. Whether “The Great Redeemer” was in either Sparkling Jewels is not clear, but we can be sure many worshippers at the time considered it a treasure. Another source shows the song was listed in at least 10 publications. We may not know from first- or second-hand testimony what Foster’s motivation was for writing, but his emotions are evident in the song’s words. He was ebullient, overwhelmed with what God’s atonement for him meant. No more guilt, no burden, just a… Go to person page >