Baptist
Hymn #243.
John Ryland was born on January 29, 1753 in England, and was blest with a pious mother. She early taught him the Holy Scriptures which were able to make him wise unto salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus. How good to have godly parents who seek the welfare of their children for time and eternity! When he was five he could read Hebrew, and at nine the entire New Testament in Greek! At eighteen he began to preach the Word. While he was Baptist pastor at Northampton, the stage coaches used to pass that way to an Inn where they changed horses. He would intercept sound gospel preachers and persuade them to stay over so as to preach to his congregation. One preacher most reluctantly yielded and preached on the text, “Hinder me not” (Gen. 24:56). As a result of this John Ryland wrote a hymn which begins:
“In all my Lord’s appointed ways
My journey I’ll pursue;
‘Hinder me not,’ ye much loved saints,
For I must go with you.”
He is the author of ninety-nine hymns, and one of the best known and loved is #87 in the Little Flock. This was written in 1777.
He received a degree from Brown University of Rhode
Island, U.S.A. In 1794 he became president of the Baptist College at Bristol where he remained until his death on June 25, 1825. His last known utterance was, “No more pain.”
“O Lord, we would delight in Thee,
And on Thy care depend;
To Thee in every trouble flee,
Our safe, unfailing Friend.
O Lord, we cast each care on Thee
And triumph and adore.
O that our great concern may be
To love and praise Thee more!”