The people of God have always had cause to sing, and who has more reason to sing than the one who knows the Lord Jesus Christ, the joy of sin forgiven and the certainty of a life to come?
In this work, Faith Cook traces the development of the Christian hymn from the early period of the Christian Church to the present day. There are biographical sketches of a number of the best-known writers from the past, as well as some of the lesser-known poets such as Paul Gerhardt, Samuel Crossman and Samuel Medley. Love for God and the great truths of the gospel shine out through the words of these men and women of faith.
More than this, we also discover how their individual personalities and circumstances are reflected in the hymns they wrote. We can only stand amazed as we read of the demonstration of their faith, often in the face of severe persecution and hardship, which has been so wonderfully expressed in verse. Their words stir us up, both as congregations and personally, to express our thankfulness to God.
Our Hymn Writers and Their Hymns is in the following collections: