From UlsterScotsAgency: Reverend William Tennent, a Presbyterian minister with links to Portadown, and whose inspirational work in education in Pennsylvania helped create Princeton University, has been commemorated with an Ulster History Circle Blue Plaque. William Tennent worshipped at Vinecash Presbyterian Church. Some of his family were baptised there. He emigrated to America in 1718. His cousin James Logan, born in Read more...

Author of Blessed Be The Name 1 All praise to God who reigns above In majesty supreme, Who gave His Son for all to die, That He might man redeem! Refrain: Blessed be the name! Blessed be the name! Blessed be the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name! Blessed be the name! Blessed be the name of the Read more...

Wikipedia: William Augustine Ogden (October 10, 1841 – October 14, 1897) was an American composer, especially of church music and hymns, choir conductor and educator. Author of He Is Able to Deliver Thee 1. ‘Tis the grandest theme thro’ the ages rung; ‘Tis the grandest theme for a mortal tongue; ‘Tis the grandest theme that the world e’er sung: Our God is able to deliver thee. Refrain: He Read more...

Authored the tunes to Pass Me Not, Rescue the Perishing, I Am Thine O Lord, Near the Cross, More Love to Thee, Precious Name, Tell Me the Old Old Story, Safe in the Arms of Jesus, and more. Obituary: “Just after he had finished his final musical setting a composition for the last hymn written by Fanny Crosby, noted author Read more...

From the Cemetery: Eliza Edmunds Hewitt (1851-1920), Section I, Lot #89-90 Eliza Hewitt was a songwriter who penned numerous Christian hymns. As a young woman, Hewitt taught at a Philadelphia public school, but after becoming ill with a spinal condition, she was confined to her bed. As her health improved, she began to write lyrics to songs, including “Sunshine in Read more...

http://e.menno-kate.de/ A life of persecution and expulsion is more concerned with finding places to hide than to leaving behind visible monuments. But the Menno-Kate is an exception – a place where the Anabaptist spirit of the 16th century can still be felt. Although hidden among tall trees, it is clearly visible on the outskirts of Bad Oldesloe. Originally it housed Read more...

Stadsmonumenten.nl The oldest part of the former court building is from the early 15th century. Wigbold Wigboldus became in 1477, the owner of the meters-high stone house. Until 1585, the building was owned by the prominent squire family Van Ewsum. The last Van Ewsum, Christoffer, was kind to the persecuted Mennonites and provided their wanted leader, Menno Simons, shelter. Photographed Read more...

GAMEO: The Menno Monument (coordinates: 53° 5′ 56″ N, 5° 28′ 54″ E [53.098889, 5.481667]), in Witmarsum, Dutch province of Friesland, was erected on the site where the meetinghouse of the Witmarsum Mennonites once stood. Tradition says that the house of Herman and Gerrit Jansz stood here, where Menno first preached after leaving the Roman Catholic Church in 1536, and often stayed, and where he was probably married…. Photo Read more...

From his autobiography: “Aside from the Bible, a few school text-books, and collections of song, I cannot recall a single volume of literature of any kind in our home, until my older brother and sisters grew up. My father was a subscriber to one weekly newspaper, which he would read and lend to some less fortunate neighbor. As the years Read more...

DailyEcho: The family lived at 41 French Street where Isaac’s father ran a boarding school but the persecution of his father for his religious views forced its closure. Isaac was taught by his father until he was six then he attended the “Free School”, later known as King Edward VI Grammar School. His teacher there, John Pinhorne, recognised Isaac’s ability and saw Read more...

Southampton: Isaac Watts is one of Southampton’s most famous sons. He was famous as an author, educator, philosopher and hymn writer. Born in 1674, he lived at 41 French Street and was educated at the nearby King Edward VI grammar school. Isaac Watts was one of the leading nonconformists in the town and is mainly remembered for his hymns which Read more...

Abney Park: Dr Watts is a famous nonconformist English Christian minister, theologian and wit. He was prolific hymn writer, poet, and notable man of logic with many quotes attributed to him. He is credited with writing some 750 psalms alone, the most famous still in use today, which has earned him the title “The Father of English Hymnody”. His hymns Read more...

From Wikipedia: Watts was born in Southampton, Hampshire, England, in 1674 and was brought up in the home of a committed religious nonconformist; his father, also Isaac Watts, had been incarcerated twice for his views. Watts had a classical education at King Edward VI School, Southampton, learning Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. BBC: A statue has been given new fingers to mark the 350th birthday of one of Read more...

A past vicar, Rev. E.B. Elliott, was the father of Emily Elizabeth Steele Elliott. Emily wrote the popular Christmas hymn “Thou didst leave Thy throne” for the use of the church. Wikipedia: Among Christmas hymns designed for children, two popular ones were written by Elliott. One begins with the line, “There came a little child to earth,” which was popular Read more...

The author of “Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne” – commonly considered a Christmas carol, and yet it follows the whole life of Jesus from His birth thru the Second Coming (albeit in a much less upbeat tune than J. Wilbur Chapman’s “One Day.”) 1 Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown, When Thou camest to earth for me; Read more...