O Lar Celestial

Author: James Montgomery

James Montgomery (b. Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland, 1771; d. Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, 1854), the son of Moravian parents who died on a West Indies mission field while he was in boarding school, Montgomery inherited a strong religious bent, a passion for missions, and an independent mind. He was editor of the Sheffield Iris (1796-1827), a newspaper that sometimes espoused radical causes. Montgomery was imprisoned briefly when he printed a song that celebrated the fall of the Bastille and again when he described a riot in Sheffield that reflected unfavorably on a military commander. He also protested against slavery, the lot of boy chimney sweeps, and lotteries. Associated with Christians of various persuasions, Montgomery supported missio… Go to person page >

Translator: William Anglin

William Anglin (1882–1965) was born in Stockton-on-Tees, England, where he was successful as a steel mill manager until he felt God's call to missionary work. He arrived in Brazil in 1926 and worked primarily in the Zona da Mata region (MG, RJ, and ES), dedicating himself to evangelization, teaching children to read and write, and supporting other missionaries. He distinguished himself as a hymnologist, contributing 63 compositions to the hymnal Hinos e Cânticos and authoring the adaptation of A. E. Knight's History of Christianity. After health problems, he returned to England in 1960, declaring with emotion: "Brazil is my homeland." He died on September 7, 1965, leaving behind an important missionary and musical legacy. [Source?] Go to person page >