The Grand Old Story

Author: Horatius Bonar

Horatius Bonar was born at Edinburgh, in 1808. His education was obtained at the High School, and the University of his native city. He was ordained to the ministry, in 1837, and since then has been pastor at Kelso. In 1843, he joined the Free Church of Scotland. His reputation as a religious writer was first gained on the publication of the "Kelso Tracts," of which he was the author. He has also written many other prose works, some of which have had a very large circulation. Nor is he less favorably known as a religious poet and hymn-writer. The three series of "Hymns of Faith and Hope," have passed through several editions. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872… Go to person page >

Come, and hear the grand old story. H. Bonar. [Life of Christ.] This is the first of 9 lines which introduce a hymn of 17 stanzas of 4 lines. beginning, "Christ the Father's Son Eternal," first published in his Hymns of Faith and Hope, 2nd series, 1861. The hymn, in an abbreviated form, is given in N. Hall's Christ Church Hymnal, 1876, and others.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)