Hymn Writers of the Church

Kelly, Thomas, the son of Right Hon. Baron Kelly, was born in Dublin, Ireland, July 13, 1769; was graduated at Trinity College, Dublin University; studied law. but abandoned it in 1793 to enter the ministry of the Established Church. His evangelical and heart-searching preaching proved too strong for the Established Church, and he was forbidden by Archbishop Fowler to preach in the city. For some time he preached in two "unconsecrated 420 places" in Dublin, and then he left the Established Church and became an Independent. He was very wealthy, and as liberal as he was wealthy. He was a most pious, consecrated, and useful preacher. He labored in Dublin for more than sixty years, and lived to be eighty-five years old. He died May 14, 1854. His Scripture Hymns grew from a volume of ninety-six hymns as first published in 1804 to a collection of 765 in 1853, all original.