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Speros Demetrios Athans

1883 - 1969 Person Name: S. D. Athans, 1883-1969 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:22 Translator of "The Old Rugged Cross (En el monte Calvario)" in Santo, Santo, Santo Speros Demetrios Athans was born 1883 in Turkey. Raised in the Greek Orthodox Church, Athans left home at age 15, after his father’s death. He spent two years on the island of Corfu, Greece, and two more in Egypt, then went to Great Britain, where he worked as a sailor. In 1903 he went to America, and during immigration processing, someone gave him a New Testament in Greek. A year later, he joined a Nazarene church in Chicago, Illinois. He then enrolled in a Bible school and university. While in school in California, he began to study Spanish and to work with the Latino community. In 1910 he decided to work in evangelism. In 1931, he joined the Methodist missionary work in Latin America, retiring in 1949. © The Cyber Hymnal™ (hymntime.com/tch)

James McGranahan

1840 - 1907 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:17-24 Composer of "ROYAL BANNER" in Celebremos Su Gloria James McGranahan USA 1840-1907. Born at West Fallowfield, PA, uncle of Hugh McGranahan, and son of a farmer, he farmed during boyhood. Due to his love of music his father let him attend singing school, where he learned to play the bass viol. At age 19 he organized his first singing class and soon became a popular teacher in his area of the state. He became a noted musician and hymns composer. His father was reluctant to let him pursue this career, but he soon made enough money doing it that he was able to hire a replacement farmhand to help his father while he studied music. His father, a wise man, soon realized how his son was being used by God to win souls through his music. He entered the Normal Music School at Genesco, NY, under William B Bradbury in 1861-62. He met Miss Addie Vickery there. They married in 1863, and were very close to each other their whole marriage, but had no children. She was also a musician and hymnwriter in her own right. For a time he held a postmaster’s job in Rome, PA. In 1875 he worked for three years as a teacher and director at Dr. Root’s Normal Music Institute. He because well-known and successful as a result, and his work attracted much attention. He had a rare tenor voice, and was told he should train for the operatic stage. It was a dazzling prospect, but his friend, Philip Bliss, who had given his wondrous voice to the service of song for Christ for more than a decade, urged him to do the same. Preparing to go on a Christmas vacation with his wife, Bliss wrote McGranahan a letter about it, which McGranahan discussed with his friend Major Whittle. Those two met in person for the first time at Ashtubula, OH, both trying to retrieve the bodies of the Bliss’s, who died in a bridge-failed train wreck. Whittle thought upon meeting McGranahan, that here is the man Bliss has chosen to replace him in evangelism. The men returned to Chicago together and prayed about the matter. McGranahan gave up his post office job and the world gained a sweet gospel singer/composer as a result. McGranahan and his wife, and Major Whittle worked together for 11 years evangelizing in the U.S., Great Britain, and Ireland. They made two visits to the United Kingdom, in 1880 and 1883, the latter associated with Dwight Moody and Ira Sankey evangelistic work. McGranahan pioneered use of the male choir in gospel song. While holding meetings in Worcester, MA, he found himself with a choir of only male voices. Resourcefully, he quickly adapted the music to those voices and continued with the meetings. The music was powerful and started what is known as male choir and quartet music. Music he published included: “The choice”, “Harvest of song”, “Gospel Choir”,, “Gospel hymns #3,#4, #5, #6” (with Sankey and Stebbins), “Songs of the gospel”, and “Male chorus book”. The latter three were issued in England. In 1887 McGranahan’s health compelled him to give up active work in evangelism. He then built a beautiful home, Maplehurst, among friends at Kinsman, OH, and settled down to the composition of music, which would become an extension of his evangelistic work. Though his health limited his hours, of productivity, some of his best hymns were written during these days. McGranahan was a most lovable, gentle, modest, unassuming, gentleman, and a refined and cultured Christian. He loved good fellowship, and often treated guests to the most delightful social feast. He died of diabetes at Kinsman, OH, and went home to be with his Savior. John Perry

Miriam Therese Winter

b. 1938 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 Author of "O for a World" in The Presbyterian Hymnal

Randall Keith DeBruyn

b. 1947 Person Name: Randall DeBruyn, b. 1947 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18 Composer (descant) of "CRUCIFER" in Glory and Praise (3rd. ed.)

A. L. Byers

1869 - 1952 Person Name: Andrew L. Byers Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:10 Harmonizer of "[Long ago the prophets told]" in Timeless Truths Andrew Linnaeus Byers was born on August 26, 1869 in Albany, Illinois. Byers’ mother was song writer Nancy Byers. In 1890 he became involved with Daniel Warner & Barney Warren in evangelistic work; later joined the Gospel Trumpet publishing company as music editor for a year. He left that work because of health problems and worked as an evangelist and pastor in Idaho & Oregon before taking a pastorate in Sacramento, California, in 1934. He died on November 9, 1952 in Sacramento, California. His works include: Birth of a Reformation: The Life and Labors of D. S. Warner, 1922 NN, Hymnary.

Christopher M. Idle

b. 1938 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:28 Author of "We Meet Together In the Name" in Scripture Song Database Christopher Martin Idle (b. Bromley, Kent, England, 1938) was educated at Elthan College, St. Peter's College, Oxford, and Clifton Theological College in Bristol, and was ordained in the Church of England. He served churches in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria; London; and Oakley, Suffolk; and recently returned to London, where he is involved in various hymnal projects. A prolific author of articles on the Christian's public responsibilities, Idle has also published The Lion Book of Favorite Hymns (1980) and at least one hundred of his own hymns and biblical paraphrases. Some of his texts first appeared in hymnals published by the Jubilate Group, with which he is associated. He was also editor of Anglican Praise (1987). In 1998 Hope Publishing released Light Upon the River, a collection of 279 of his psalm and hymn texts, along with suggested tunes, scripture references, and commentary. Bert Polman

Edward Miller

1735 - 1807 Person Name: Edward Miller (1731-1807) Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Harmonizer of "ROCKINGHAM" in Common Praise (1998) Edward Miller, Born in the United Kingdom. The son of a pavior (stone paver), Miller left home to study music at King's Lynn. He was a flautist in Handel's orchestra. In 1752 he published “Six Solos for the German Flute”. In 1756 he was appointed organist of St. George Minster Doncaster, continuing in that post for 50 years. He also gave pianoforte lessons. He published hymns and sonatas for harpsichord, 16 editions of “The Institues of Music”, “Elegies for Voice & Pianoforte”, and Psalms of David set to music, arranged for each Sunday of the year. That work had over 5000 subscribers. He published his thoughts on performance of Psalmody in the Church of England, addressed to clergy. In 1801 he published the Psalms of Watts and Wesley for use by Methodists, and in 1804 the history and antiques of Doncaster with a map. John Perry

William B. Bradbury

1816 - 1868 Person Name: William B. Bradbury, 1816-1868 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:27 Composer of "JESUS LOVES ME" in Worship and Rejoice William Bachelder Bradbury USA 1816-1868. Born at York, ME, he was raised on his father's farm, with rainy days spent in a shoe-shop, the custom in those days. He loved music and spent spare hours practicing any music he could find. In 1830 the family moved to Boston, where he first saw and heard an organ and piano, and other instruments. He became an organist at 15. He attended Dr. Lowell Mason's singing classes, and later sang in the Bowdoin Street church choir. Dr. Mason became a good friend. He made $100/yr playing the organ, and was still in Dr. Mason's choir. Dr. Mason gave him a chance to teach singing in Machias, ME, which he accepted. He returned to Boston the following year to marry Adra Esther Fessenden in 1838, then relocated to Saint John, New Brunswick. Where his efforts were not much appreciated, so he returned to Boston. He was offered charge of music and organ at the First Baptist Church of Brooklyn. That led to similar work at the Baptist Tabernacle, New York City, where he also started a singing class. That started singing schools in various parts of the city, and eventually resulted in music festivals, held at the Broadway Tabernacle, a prominent city event. He conducted a 1000 children choir there, which resulted in music being taught as regular study in public schools of the city. He began writing music and publishing it. In 1847 he went with his wife to Europe to study with some of the music masters in London and also Germany. He attended Mendelssohn funeral while there. He went to Switzerland before returning to the states, and upon returning, commenced teaching, conducting conventions, composing, and editing music books. In 1851, with his brother, Edward, he began manufacturring Bradbury pianos, which became popular. Also, he had a small office in one of his warehouses in New York and often went there to spend time in private devotions. As a professor, he edited 59 books of sacred and secular music, much of which he wrote. He attended the Presbyterian church in Bloomfield, NJ, for many years later in life. He contracted tuberculosis the last two years of his life. John Perry

Joseph A. Seiss

1823 - 1904 Person Name: Joseph August Seiss Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:31 Translator (st. 4) of "Fairest Lord Jesus" in Glory to God Joseph A. Seiss was born and raised in a Moravian home with the original family name of Seuss. After studying at Pennsylvania College in Gettysburg and completing his theological education with tutors and through private study, Seiss became a Lutheran pastor in 1842. He served several Lutheran congregations in Virginia and Maryland and then became pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church (1858-1874) and the Church of the Holy Communion (1874-1904), both in Philadelphia. Known as an eloquent and popular preacher, Seiss was also a prolific author and editor of some eighty volumes, which include The Last Times (1856), The Evangelical Psalmist (1859), Ecclesia Lutherana (1868), Lectures on the Gospels (1868-1872), and Lectures on the Epistles (1885). He contributed to and compiled several hymnals. Bert Polman

Thomas Helmore

1811 - 1890 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:30 Adapter of "VENI IMMANUEL" in Sing With Me A graduate of Magdalen College, Oxford, England, Thomas Helmore (b. Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England, 1811; d. Westminster, London, England, 1890) was ordained a priest in the Church of England, but his main contribution to the church was in music. He was precentor at St. Mark's College, Chelsea (1842-1877), and master of the choristers in the Chapel Royal for many years. He promoted unaccompanied choral services and played an important part in the revival of plainchant in the Anglican Church. Helmore was involved in various publications of hymns, chants, and carols, including A Manual of Plainsong (1850) and The Hymnal Noted (with John Mason Neale). Bert Polman