Hymn Writers of the Church

Fawcett, John, a Baptist divine of England, was born at Lidget Green, near Bradford, Yorkshire, January 6, 1739. He was converted under the preaching of Whitefield in 1755 and fellowshiped with the Methodists until 1758, when he joined the Baptist Church at Bradford. In 1765 he became pastor of the Baptist Church at Wainsgate; and although he received many flattering calls to go elsewhere, he remained here, or in the neighborhood at least, living on a pitifully small salary, until his death, July 25, 1817. He was an honored and useful minister of the gospel. He published many volumes on religious subjects, his poetic publications being: Poetic Essays, 1767; The Christian's Humble Plea, a Poem in Answer to Dr. Priestly (a Unitarian), 1772; The Death of Eumenio, a Divine Poem, 1779; The Reign of Death, 1780; Hymns Adapted to the Circumstances of Public Worship and Private Devotion, Leeds, 1782. He wrote altogether one hundred and sixty-six hymns. Most of these hymns were written in the midnight hours of Saturday nights, and, like those of Dr. Doddridge, were composed especially to be sung at the conclusion of his sermons on the Sabbath following.