Rufus H. McDaniel

Rufus H. McDaniel was ordained in the Christian church in 1873. He found much joy in church music. He began writing hymns in the 1880's. He wrote, "I feel in my soul that God has something for me to do in brightening the experience of struggling souls. My chief desire is to be a blessing, if possible, to my fellow-men through these hymns and thereby glorify God in the name of his dear son 'whose I am and whom I serve.'"

Dianne Shapiro, from "The Singers and Their Songs: sketches of living gospel hymn writers" by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (Chicago: The Rodeheaver Company, 1916)