R. S. James

James, Richard S., D.D., author of "Hastening on to death's dark river" (Heaven Anticipated), in the Baptist Devotional Hymn and Tune Book, 1864, was born at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 18, 1824, and entered the Baptist ministry in 1859.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

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James, Richard S. (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 18, 1824--?). Baptist. Educated at Brown University and Columbian College. Ordained to the ministry in 1859. Pastorates at Camden and Marlton, New Jersey; West Newton, Massachusetts; and Zanesville, Ohio. Professor at Hillsdale College (Michigan) and principal of Oak Grove Academy (Mich.). President of Judson University, Judsonia, Arkansas, and also of Buckner University, Witcherville, Arkansas.

Author of several hymns. One of these, written during his senior year at Columbian College for the farewell services on the departure of his brother Dr. J. Sexton James, Rev. J.L. Shuck, and Rev. T.W. Tobely as missionaries to China, begins, "How sadly flow the waters From China's clouded hills."

--Paul R. Powell, DNAH Archives