William Luff › Texts

Luff, William, born May 14, 1850, and admitted as a Member of the Baptist Church at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in 1866. His first effort in versifying was published in Baptist Messenger, Feb. 1870. Since then he has contributed extensively in prose and verse to various publications, including Sword and Trowel; Drummond's Tracts, Stirling; Golden Bells; Gospel Solos for Gospel Singers; and many others. His best-known hymns are:—
1. 0! who this day will rejoicing say? [Invitation.] First published in Word and Work, July 19, 1883. It was brought into notice through its recitation by the Rev. Hubert Brooke at the Belfast Convention at his Bible reading, Oct. 23rd, 1888. Printed as a hymn-sheet, it had a large circulation. In. the Church Missionary Hymn Book, 1899, sts. ii.-vi. are omitted.
2. God fills the soul that it may pour. [Receiving from God; Giving to men.] Written for the revised edition of Hymns of Consecration and Faith, 1902.
3. I know not what He'll give me. [New Year.] First published in Songs of Salvation, No. 63, and again in Hymns of Consecration and Faith, 1902.
4. The faith that saves the soul. [Saving Faith.] No. 331 in Hymns of Consecration and Faith, 1902; was written in 1901.
In addition the following hymns are by Mr. Luff:— In Golden Bells, No. 285; Sankey and Stebbings' Male Choir, No. 4; Manton Smith's Evangel Echoes, Nos. 37, 57, 71, 130, 152, 154, 227; Gospel Solos for Gospel Singers, thirty-nine hymns; Hymns of Light and Love,
My Saviour could and would"; and the Supplement to Our Own Hymn Book (Spurgeon), "Hark, the Captain's voice is calling."
Of Mr. Luff's hymns 100 were published in 1885, as About Jesus; and a second 100 as About the Father, 1886, by Drummond, Tract Depot, Stirling.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)