Author of “O Zion, haste” – born

ON THIS DATE

Mary Ann Faulkner Thomson was born 12/5/1834 in London.  She grew up in England (1 of 12 children) where she married John Thomson (1861).  They came to America on the ship Warsland (1881) and John  became the first librarian of the Free Library of Philadelphia.  For years she was a member of the Church of the Annunciation (Episcopal) in Philadelphia, where her husband was the church treasurer.  Mary Thomson published many poems and hymns during her life dying 3/11/1923 in Philadelphia.  She is remembered for “O Zion, Haste” (1875); she spelled it Sion, and said she wrote most of it in 1868.

O Zion, haste, thy mission high fulfilling,

To tell to all the world that God is light,

That He who made all nations is not willing

One soul should perish, lost in shades of night.

Refrain

Publish glad tidings, tidings of peace;

Tidings of Jesus, redemption and release.

Read Full Post »

Mary Ann Faulkner Thomson – death, Mar. 11, 1923

O Zion, haste, thy mission high fulfilling,
To tell to all the world that God is light,
That He who made all nations is not willing
One soul should perish, lost in shades of night.

Refrain: Publish glad tidings, tidings of peace;
             Tidings of Jesus, redemption and release.

2. Behold how many thousands still are lying
Bound in the darksome prison house of sin,
With none to tell them of the Savior’s dying,
Or of the life He died for them to win.

3. Proclaim to every people, tongue, and nation
That God, in Whom they live and move, is love;
Tell how He stooped to save His lost creation,
And died on earth that we might live above.

4. ’Tis thine to save from peril of perdition
The souls for whom the Lord His life laid down:
Beware lest, slothful to fulfill thy mission,
Thou lose one jewel that should deck His crown.

5. Give of thy sons to bear the message glorious;
Give of thy wealth to speed them on their way;
Pour out thy soul for them in prayer victorious;
O Zion, haste to bring the brighter day.

6. He comes again! O Zion, ere thou meet Him,
Make known to every heart His saving grace:
Let none whom he Hath ransomed fail to greet Him,
Through thy neglect, unfit to see His face.

Mary Ann Faulkner Thomson, died this date 3/11/1923, Philadelphia, PA.  She was born 12/5/1834, London, England.  In 1861 she married John Thomson (later 1^st librarian of the Philadelphia Free Library) and they emigrated in 1881 to Philadelphia.

She is said to have said, “I wrote the greater part of the hymn, ‘O, Sion, Haste,’ [a.k.a.”O Zion, Haste, Thy Mission High Fulfilling”] in the year 1868. I had written many hymns before, and one night, while I was sitting up with one of my children who was ill with typhoid fever, I thought I should like to write a missionary hymn to the tune of the hymn, ‘Hark, Hark, My Soul, Angelic Songs Are Swelling,’ as I was fond of that tune, but as I could not then get a refrain I liked, I left the hymn unfinished and about three years I finished it by writing the refrain which now forms a part of it.”

Read Full Post »