I. G. Martin

Martin, Isaiah Guyman. (Gentry County, Missouri, April 18, 1862--August 23, 1957, Pasadena, California). Richmond School of Music; Missouri (now Kansas) Wesleyan; Iliff School of Theology. Married in 1905, two sons, one daughter. Converted at age 12, joined the Baptist Church; 1893 joined the Methodist Church and began his ministry. 1903 joined the Church of the Nazarene and in 1905 was appointed District Superintendent of "all the territory east of the Rocky Mountains." Pastored First Church of the Nazarene, Chicago; evangelist. Tenor soloist; composed songs as a hobby (around 200), frequently while playing the reed organ.

"Eastern Gate" is probably his most familiar hymn. It was written as a tribute to Dr. P.F. Bresee's traditional farewell at gatherings of the Church of the Nazarene, "We will meet at the Eastern Gate." According to Martin, "One of the old-timers was trying to get a tune for some words he had written, but couldn't put it over, so I got to humming a tune, which turned out to be 'Eastern Gate.'"

--E. Roger Taylor, DNAH Archives