Scotch-Irish Gospel Hymnwriters
Author: Mark THompson
Date: 1999
Source: Ullans: The Magazine for Ulster-Scots, Nummer 7 Wunter 1999
A recently-discovered volume entitled “Biographies of Gospel Songwriters” (published by Stamps-Baxter, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 1971), has revealed some new information regarding one of the most famous hymnwriters of all time:
“Ira David Sankey, was born in the village of Edinburg, Pennsylvania, on August 28 1840, of Scotch-Irish descent”.
Sankey wrote hundreds of well-loved hymns such as “Tell Me the Story of Jesus”, “The Ninety and Nine” and “Beneath the Cross of Jesus”. He composed his first gospel song (entitled “Yet There is Room”, with words written by Dr Bonar) while in Edinburgh, Scotland on an evangelistic crusade with DL Moody.
In “Sacred Songs and Solos”, a hymnbook compiled under Sankey’s direction, there is a Scots language hymn entitled “My Ain Countrie”, and is reproduced overleaf.
Ira D. Sankey
William J. Kirkpatrick
William J Kirkpatrick was born on February 27 1838, the son of Thompson Kirkpatrick from Ireland, once again in the Ulster-Scots hotbed of Pennsylvania. Throughout his life he compiled 49 hymnbooks, with some of his compositions being “The Comforter Has Come” and “Life at Best is Very Brief”.
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Contents: Ullans: The Magazine for Ulster-Scots, Nummer 7 Wunter 1999