1832 - 1895 Person Name: Rev. W. E. Penn Composer of "[Nearer, O Christ, to Thee]" in Harvest Bells Nos. 1, 2 and 3 Penn, William Evander. (Near village of Old Jefferson, Rutherford County, Tennessee, August 11, 1832--April 29, 1895, Eureka Springs, Arkansas). Southern Baptist. Evangelist in Texas and other states, 1875-1895. Compiled three hymnals titled Harvest Bells (1881, 1884, 1887) for use in his meetings. His hymns were primarily revivalistic in emphasis. His finest hymn, "There is a rock in a weary land, Its shadow falls on the burning sand" was paid the compliment of being reworked and issued under the name of Edward Husband in D.B. Towner's Revival Hymns (Chicago, 1905).
He and his wife Corilla Frances Sayle adopted three children. Ordained December 4, 1880.
--David W. Music, and additional information from the DNAH Archives
See:
Linder, Michael. (1985). William Evander Penn : his contribution to church music (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas.
The Life and Labors of Major W. E. Penn. (1896). St. Louis: C. B. Woodward Printing).
W. E. Penn
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