S. E. McNair

Stuart Edmund McNair was born on March 8, 1867, in Brighton, England, and grew up in Croydon. He was the son of Lindsay William McNair and Harriet Agnes Turrell. He graduated in civil engineering, mechanical drawing, and theology. At 14, he had a significant experience with theologian John Nelson Darby, which influenced his spiritual journey.

In 1891, McNair moved to Lisbon, where he worked for five years. In 1896, at 29 years old, he arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to do missionary work. Over the years, he evangelized in several Brazilian cities and traveled to Argentina, Spain, and Portugal, including a three-year stay in Coimbra, where he evangelized university students.

In addition to his evangelism, McNair made a significant contribution to music. He wrote or translated many hymns, many of which are still included in hymnals used by churches today. Among the hymns he wrote or translated, 157 appear in the hymnal Hinos e Cânticos. After the death of its founder, Richard Holden, McNair became responsible for editing and revising the hymnal, as well as for translating and authoring additional hymns for its continued use.

In 1913, he settled in Conceição de Carangola, MG, where he developed Bible schools and trained new Christian leaders. McNair traveled throughout Brazil, and in 1933, he founded the Casa Editora Evangélica in Teresópolis, RJ, focusing on publishing theological materials and Christian education. He was also responsible for publishing the first edition of Hinos e Cânticos com Música in 1939, an important work that solidified his musical contribution to the Brazilian church.

Stuart McNair passed away on January 10, 1959, at the age of 92, after more than 50 years of dedication to evangelism, Bible teaching, and Christian music. His legacy lives on through his writings, translations, musical compositions, and contributions to the Christian movement, especially in Brazil.