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George P. Simmonds
1890 - 1991 Person Name: J. Pablo Simón Translator of "Tus Sendas de Servicio" in El Himnario Used pseudonyms G Paul S., J. Paul Simon, and J. Pablo Símon
George P. Simmonds
Calvin Weiss Laufer
1874 - 1938 Person Name: Rev. Calvin W. Laufer Author of "We thank thee, Lord, Thy paths of service lead" in The Hymnal Presbyterian minister and hymnographer Calvin Weiss Laufer was born today in Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania in 1874. Following his graduation from Union Seminary in 1900 he was ordained into the Presbyterian ministry and led congregations in New York and New Jersey for several years.
Laufer had a generally cheerful outlook on his Christian life, and his first two books, Key-Notes of Optimism (1911) and The Incomparable Christ (1914) expressed that viewpoint. A review of the first book spoke of the "crisp and stirring note in these sermonettes which is well calculated to rouse the mind of readers and banish dejection." His books were popular in their time but today are seen as somewhat superficial.
He later began to work with the Presbyterian Board of Christian Education and became its editor of musical publications, producing books such as The Junior Church School Hymnal (1927), The Church School Hymnal for Youth (1928) and When the Little Child Wants to Sing (1935). He was also the associate editor of the Presbyterian Hymnal of 1933, a very popular book which was used in many churches for more than fifty years.
In 1932, his book Hymn Lore was published, which contained the stories of fifty hymns from The Church School Hymnal for Youth, with information about their writers and composers (much like this blog). He chose a broad range of hymns, some quite modern and others well-known and loved for centuries. Several of them were by his mentor and friend Louis F. Benson, who had edited the Presbyterian Hymnal of 1895 and its 1911 revision (and also wrote The Best Church Hymns). In the preface to Hymn Lore, Laufer wrote:
To live with hymns and to make them one's own is the only sure way of appreciating their literary beauty and spiritual power. (...) That the reading and singing of hymns may become less mechanical, more thoughtful and intelligent, and emotionally more effective, this volume is released to the public.
Laufer wrote both hymn texts and tunes himself, most of which first appeared in the books he edited but also had some life outside Presbyterian circles. This tune was written while Laufer was attending a conference in Kansas, though with no particular text in mind. Not long after, he hummed it to a friend, William H. Foulkes, who then wrote the text "Take thou our minds, dear Lord."
Laufer's tune was originally called STONY BROOK, but he changed it to honor a friend, William Ralph Hall. Little is known about the writer May Pierpont Hoyt. Her text is generally sung to the tune BREAD OF LIFE by William F. Sherwin, but since that tune is more known with "Break thou the Bread of life," this text could use a different one.
--conjubilant.blogspot.com/2010/04/
Calvin Weiss Laufer
Edward M. Blumenfeld
1927 - 2013 Author of "The Son of God, Our Christ" in Consider Your Call Blumenfeld, Edward Martin. (Chicago, Illinois, September 23, 1927- ). United Church of Christ. After attending schools in Chicago, Cincinnati, and Milwaukee, he served in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, 1945-1946; graduated B.S. from Carroll College, 1949; studied at Marquette University's School of Medicine, 1949-1950; service in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, 1950-1951; worked for a year in the steel mills of Gary, Indiana; B.D., Hartford Theological Seminary, 1955; M.A. in religion, Garrett-Northwestern University, 1961. After serving student charges in Connecticut and Vermont while at the seminary, he was ordained in July, 1955, by the Congregational Conference of Vermont, a year after marrying an organist from that state, Flora Merriam. Subsequently he served federated or community churches in Vermont, Wisconsin, and Illinois. In 1980, he was pastor of the United Church of Christ in El Paso, Illinois. He began writing verse when his Grade 3 class were directed to copy from the blackboard a poem for the Mother's Day cards they were making; having a twin brother in the class, he wrote a verse of his own to spare his mother two identical cards. In medical school, he wrote verses about the bones of the body; as a minister, he wrote them to illustrate his sermons and to comprise a column in the local newspaper. Not being musical, he found the appearance of his lyrics in various hymnbooks mystifying but gratifying.
--Hugh McKellar, DNAH Archives (based on information supplied by Blumenfeld)
Edward M. Blumenfeld
Agnes C. Miller
Author of "This is our house" in The Book of Praise Agnes C. Miller is a resident of San Anselmo, California. She is a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She has long been interested in music, and has had a number of musical compositions published including several choir anthems.
--Thirteen New Marriage and Family Life Hymns , 1961. Used by permission.
Agnes C. Miller
