Alfred Midlane Writes Children’s Hymns

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Alfred Midlane was born on the Isle of Wight, off the coast of England, on January 23, 1825. His father died three months before he was born.

His godly mother took him to the St. James Congregational Chapel where one of the Sunday School teachers attained a place of significant influence in young Alfred’s life.

Speaking of his mother’s devotion to God, Midlane wrote, “How often from the cares of the family would the dear mother lead me into a quiet room; and there kneeling by my side would she, with holy fervour, by prayer bring God into all her circumstances down here; or by sweet communion be with God above them all”.

Midlane became a businessman in Newport, Isle of Wight, for 50 years, first working as a printer … then entering the hardware business, as an ironmonger.

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We are told that he was writing religious verse at the age of nine, under the encouragement of his favourite Sunday School teacher. Midlane’s first hymn was written when he was 17 years of age (1842); and from then on a steady stream of hymns (he is credited in one place with 1,100 hymns) and poems issued from his pen. He also wrote some prose.

Many of Midlane’s hymns were written with children in mind and used in Sunday Schools. His hymns have also been effective in mission and revival meetings.

Midlane came to a firm conviction of his salvation at a Sunday School teacher’s meeting. He was subsequently baptised by immersion at Castlehold Baptist Church, Newport. When he was 23 he left the Baptists to associate with the Brethren where he continued his enthusiasm for Sunday School work.

His abiding interest in Sunday School activities can be appreciated from the following verse:
What useful institution stands
Where only love doth rule,
Where every good desire expands?
— The Sunday School.

Midlane married Miriam Grainger on March 20th, 1851. The union produced two sons and one daughter.

He compiled two books of his hymns for young people, the second containing 323 of his own compositions. This may be a unique achievement in itself.

Midlane also composed hymns for adults, and the second of two compilations which he published at age 80, contained 278 of his own hymns.

Midlane’s biographer tells us “he never took out a copyright for any of his hymns, and never derived any monetary benefit from them” (Who Wrote our Hymns, by C. Knapp, page 201).

A curious story is told concerning the writing of what is probably his most well-known composition, There’s a Friend for Little Children. He had mused over it during his strenuous day of toil, and that evening, February 7, 1859, when the family retired, he set to work to commit it to paper. Time stole on and early next morning “his wife found him ‘unconscious’ (or asleep?) over his finished work”:
There’s a Friend for little children
 Above the bright blue sky,
A Friend that never changes,
Whose love will never die …

That song proved to be so popular that he received so much mail expressing appreciation for it that he felt burdened by the response. It is the only children’s song to have been accorded its own Jubilee, being celebrated around the English speaking world on February 7, 1909.

The song has been sung in China, Japan, India, all over Europe, America, Africa, Australasia and in unlikely parts of the world, having been translated into more than fifty languages.

Another well-known Gospel song from his pen is –
Revive Thy work, O Lord,
Thy mighty arm make bare …

Midlane wrote most of his hymns while on twilight walks around the ancient and historic ruins of Carisbrooke Castle, which encouraged his “deep and uninterrupted meditation”, from which the lines of his hymns would spring.

Lord Tennyson lived but 11 miles from Midlane and the two poets maintained mutual friendship.

It has been said of Midlane’s hymns that “They are full of spiritual thought, careful in their wording, and often very pleasing without reaching the highest form of poetical excellence. A marked feature of these hymns is the constant and happy use of Scripture phraseology.”

Midlane expressed concern that his writings fulfil the Apostle Paul’s instruction, “let all things be done unto edification”.

He has been described as the “poet preacher of the ‘Strict Brethren’” (Methodist Hymn Book, Illustrated, by J. Telford, page 447). He was also known for his generosity.

Albert Midlane died on Februray 20, 1909. His wife survived him by another 5 years.

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This post is based on notes by my late friend Donald Prout. I have updated these historical posts with information gleaned from other sources. I am indebted to Don for awakening in me an interest in Church History. Don’s notes can be found at: www.donaldprout.com

Dan Crawford – Missionary to Africa

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This is the day that … Dan Crawford was converted in 1887.

Born in Scotland on 7 December, 1870, he was only four years old when his father died, and a meagre education followed.  He grew up a “guid laddie”(good boy), became a member of the local kirk, and then became a Sunday-School teacher.

At the age of 17, as he taught Sunday-School, the influence of another teacher gave him uneasiness of soul.  “For some weeks he was in great anxiety.  One evening he attended a mission hall and heard a plain working man, out of a full heart, tell of a Saviour’s love …”  Convicted by the preaching but still unwilling to yield to the Saviour, Dan now found himself confronted by his friend’s final plea.

“Dan,” said Mr Storer as he drew a line on the floor with a carpenter’s pencil, “you’ll not step over that line until you have trusted Christ.  Will you trust Him now?”

There was “a minute’s dead silence,” says the biographer.  Then Dan Crawford said:  “I will” and strode across the line.  And, adds E. Enock, “he never faltered from that moment.”

“Dan started right away to tell all around of his new found Saviour.  He would preach anywhere.  In the street he would stop, doff his cap, and start to tell out the Gospel …” (Gathered Sheaves, page 2).

He threw in his lot with the Brethren, took to open air preaching, fell in love with Grace Tilsley … but declined to propose as he was going to Africa as a missionary.  And because he had developed such a “bad cough” in his street preaching days – in all kinds of inclement weather – the doctor did not expect him to live more than 12 months.

On 23 March, 1889, Dan Crawford sailed for Africa, in the company of F.S. Arnot, and there as a missionary sent out by the Brethren Assemblies, he served his Lord for the next 37 years.  In 1898 Grace Tilsley joined him, and they were married on 14 September.

He “relied upon unsolicited gifts and preferred to work alone.”  He translated the Scriptures into a native tongue, and wrote Thinking Black, a classic missionary volume that anticipated “modern cultural anthropology” (Who’s Who in Christian History), and “became a valuable contribution in the field of missionary practices and principles.”

Bishop Stephen Neill, in his History of Christian Missions, devotes three pages to Dan Crawford and the impact he made, not only on the African peoples he evangelised, but on missionary strategy.

On 29 May, 1926, during a restless sleep, he knocked his hand on a raw-edged shelf beside his bed.  Blood poisoning set in and he died five days later.