O Father, who hast given thine only Son

Author: Edward Henry Bickersteth

Bickersteth, Edward Henry, D.D., son of Edward Bickersteth, Sr. born at Islington, Jan. 1825, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge (B.A. with honours, 1847; M.A., 1850). On taking Holy Orders in 1848, he became curate of Banningham, Norfolk, and then of Christ Church, Tunbridge Wells. His preferment to the Rectory of Hinton-Martell, in 1852, was followed by that of the Vicarage of Christ Church, Hampstead, 1855. In 1885 he became Dean of Gloucester, and the same year Bishop of Exeter. Bishop Bickersteth's works, chiefly poetical, are:— (l) Poems, 1849; (2) Water from the Well-spring, 1852; (3) The Rock of Ages, 1858 ; (4) Commentary on the New Testament, 1864; (5) Yesterday, To-day, and For Ever, 1867; (6) The Spirit of Life, 1868;… Go to person page >

0 Father, Who hast given Thine only Son. Bp. E. H. Bickersteth. [Holy Communion.] “A hymn especially to be sung at the Holy Communion on Intercession days for Foreign Missions." Written in 1889, and included in the 1890 ed. of the Hymnal Companion. It is based on "The Comfortable Words " of the Communion Service.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)