Ah I shall soon be dying

Ah I shall soon be dying

Author: John Ryland
Published in 23 hymnals

Author: John Ryland

Ryland, John, D.D., son of Rev. John Collett Ryland, was born at Warwick, Jan. 29, 1753. At that time his father was Baptist minister at Warwick, but in 1759 removed to Northampton. "J. Ryland, junior," as for many years he was accustomed to subscribe himself, was in 1781 ordained co-pastor with his father at Northampton. In 1794 he accepted the presidency of the Baptist College and the pastorate of the church in Broadmead, Bristol, and these offices he retained until his death on June 25, 1825. Dr. Ryland was a man of considerable literary culture, and received the degree of D.D. from Brown University, Rhode Island. He was one of the founders of the Baptist Missionary Society, and for the three years following the death of Rev. A. Fuller,… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Ah I shall soon be dying
Author: John Ryland
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

Ah, I shall soon be dying. J. Ryland. [Death anticipated.] Dr. Ryland's son says that this hymn was written by his father while walking through the streets of London, and dates it 1800, (S. MSS.). This date is an error, as the hymn appeared in the Evangelical Magazine, Oct. 1798, in 8 stanzas of 4 lines, as "Reflections," and with the note:—

"The following lines passed through the mind of a country minister as he was walking the streets of London, and considering how far several persons appeared now to be advanced in life whom he had known in their youth a very few years back, and how many others of his acquaintance had been already removed."

The hymn was repeated in the Baptist Register, 1800, p. 312, and in the 27th edition of Rippon's Selections 1827-8, No. 550. pt. iii. From thence it has passed into collections both in Great Britain and America. It is also included in Sedgwick's reprint of Dr. Ryland's Hymns, 1860.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 23 of 23)
Page Scan

A Collection of Psalms and Hymns #286

Page Scan

A Collection of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs #286

Page Scan

A Collection of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs #286

Page Scan

A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors. #550b

Page Scan

Baptist Hymn Book #a823

Page Scan

Hymn and Tune Book for Use in Old School or Primitive Baptist Churches #544

Page Scan

Hymns for the Church on Earth #28

Spiritual Songs for a Month. 1st Am. from the 6th Eng. ed. #d3

The American Repository of Sacred Music #d1

Page Scan

The Baptist Hymn Book #1235

Page Scan

The Baptist Hymn Book #823

The Bible Hymn Book #d3

Page Scan

The Christian's Harp #137

The Philharmonia #d17

Page Scan

The Psalms and Hymns of Dr. Watts #1268b

The Southern Psalmist #d12

The Southern Psalmist. New ed. #d15

Page Scan

The Spirit of Praise #577

Suggestions or corrections? Contact us