March 12, 2026 - Good Morning! It’s Thursday, March 12.
Happy Birthday to hymn writer Robert Lowry, born on this day in 1826 - Happy 200th Birthday! Lowry was a renowned American preacher and pastor. He was also a professor and a publisher. He considered hymn writing just a hobby. But in spite of all his other noteworthy achievements, it is his gospel songs for which he is remembered.
Lowry edited and published more than twenty hymnals, and just about every hymn book today still includes some of his over 500 hymns. Favorites like “We’re Marching to Zion”, “Christ Arose”, “Shall We Gather at the River”, and “Nothing But the Blood”. He wrote both the music and the lyrics for most of his songs. Before him, the words were typically penned by one person and the tune by another.
Perhaps more than any other writer, with the possible exception of Fannie Crosby, Robert Lowry was responsible for the phenomenon that was (and still is) the gospel song. The use of an upbeat popular style of music, paired with a personal, testimonial type of lyric revolutionized Christian worship in the late 19th century. It was a revolution even greater than the Contemporary Christian Music movement of our time.
I leave you with the invitation found in one of Robert Lowry’s most famous hymns -
Come, we that love the Lord and let our joys be known!
Join in a song with sweet accord! Join in a song with sweet accord!
And thus surround the throne! And thus surround the throne!
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
