Hymn Writers of the Church

Collyer, William Bengo, was the pastor of an Independent or Congregational Church from 1801, when he was ordained, until his death, January 8, 1854. He was born at Blackheath, near London, April 14, 1782, He was educated at Homerton College, which he entered at the age of sixteen. Dr. Collyer's Church was at Peckham, England. Dr. Falding, in the Dictionary of Hymnology, says he "was eminent in his day as an eloquent evangelical preacher when formalism in worship and Arianism in doctrine prevailed. He was a man of amiable disposition, polished manners, and Christian courtesy, popular with rich and poor alike." He edited a hymn book which was published in London, 1812, Hymns Partly Collected and Partly Original. To this book he contributed fifty-seven of his own hymns. He also contributed thirty-nine pieces to Dr. Leifchild's book of Original Hymns, 1843. A few of his hymns have been useful, but none of them have reached the first rank.