Biography

Perhaps you have sung a song from Hart’s Hymns. Joseph Hart was born in the early 1700s in England. While Christians today benefit from Hart’s God-glorifying works it was not always so. Prior to Hart’s conversion to Christianity he wrote scathing articles against Christianity and was critical of John Wesley. The Unreasonableness of Religion reflected Hart’s rebellion against his Christian upbringing and his embrace of libertine beliefs. Through prayer, scripture reading and the preaching of George Whitefield, Hart was able to accept Christ’s gift of salvation and have assurance of eternity with Christ. Harper translated Herodian and Phocylides into English. His Christmas sermon based on the Luke’s gospel was published in 1767. Harper died in 1768 and it was reported that 20,000 people attended his funeral.

Wailand Groenendyk
CCEL Staff Writer