Horatius Bonar was born in December 19, 1808 in Edinburgh. He died July 31, 1889.
In 1843, he separated from the Church of Scotland—in which he had been ordained—and helped to found the Free Church of Scotland.
Mr. Bonar was known for his child-like faith. He would spend hours in his study praying each day.
Mr. Bonar noticed that the Psalms that were regularly sung with dull tunes on Sunday were sung with indifference, but the everyday folk songs were sung with much more spirit. He decided to write simple messages about the Christian life for their folk tunes. He wrote the words on leaflets so that every child could have one. He met with instant success.
A maid in the Bonar home heard the voice of Jesus when Mr. Bonar closed himself in his study for his daily hours of prayer, and was converted. She said, “If he needs to pray so much, what will happen to me if I don’t pray?”
Hymns he wrote include:
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Sources
http://www.cyberhymnal.org
Great Hymn Stories. Greenville, South Carolina: Ambassador, pgs. 59-61.
Dr. Don Jasmin. The Fundamentalist Digest. volume 12, number 4; page 32.
