Robert Lowry

Robert Lowry (March 12, 1826 – November 25, 1899) was an American preacher who became a popular writer of gospel music in the mid-to-late 19th century. His best-known hymns include "Shall We Gather at the River", "Christ Arose!", "How Can I Keep from Singing?" and "Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus".

Born in Philadelphia, Lowry studied at the University at Lewisburg and entered the Baptist ministry in 1854. During the following 45 years he held a number of pastorates in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Between 1869 and 1875 he combined his pastoral work with a professorship in rhetoric at his alma mater, and later served as the university's chancellor. From 1868 he acted as hymnals editor to Biglow and Main, the country's leading publisher of gospel and Sunday School music; under his supervision more than 20 hymnals were produced by the firm, many of wide and enduring popularity.

Despite his protestations that preaching was his main vocation and that music was merely a sideline, it is as a hymnwriter that Lowry is chiefly remembered, ranking with such as W. H. Doane and Ira D. Sankey as one of the originators of a musical tradition that has lasted until the modern era of revival.

Life Early life Robert Lowry was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 12, 1826. He was the son of Crozier Lowry, who had emigrated from Ulster, in the north of Ireland in the early part of the 19th century. In 1843, when he was 17, Robert underwent an experience of religious conversion. As a result he left the Associate Presbyterian Church of North America, his parents' church, and joined the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia, where he worked enthusiastically as a Sunday School teacher and chorister.

In 1848 Lowry was encouraged by his pastor, The Rev. Geo. B. Ide, D.D., to prepare for a life's work in the Christian ministry. With this end in view, Lowry began studies at the University at Lewisburg (now Bucknell University).

Ministry Lowry began his ministry in 1854, at the First Baptist church in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He wrote this during a heatwave which accompanied an epidemic in the city which claimed many lives. Almost overcome by the heat, he suddenly envisaged the passage in the Book of Revelation, chapter 22: "And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb". Despite its popularity, Lowry did not regard the hymn highly: "It is brass band music, has a march movement, and for that reason has become popular, though for myself I do not think much of it." He had produced his first hymn anthology, Happy Voices (in which "Shall We Gather" first appeared) in 1865, The church was dedicated in June 1870; Lowry's skillful oratory was instrumental in persuading the congregation, by no means a prosperous group, to subscribe $10,000 towards meeting the church's construction debt. and in 1874 wrote the words and music for "Christ Arose!" ("Low In The Grave He Lay").

In 1875 Lowry was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) by Lewisburg. In that year he decided to relinquish his professorship, and take up the pastorate at the Park Avenue Church in Plainfield, New Jersey. In 1876 he wrote and composed another of his best-known works: "Nothing But the Blood of Jesus".

Later years and death In 1880 Lowry took a break from his pastoral duties at Plainfield and visited Europe. In 1890 his wife Anna died; two years later Lowry married Mary Jane Runyon. often supplying the text as well as the music – one of the earliest hymnwriters to do so. His love of music dated from his childhood, when he would play any musical instrument that came to hand, 1865 Happy Voices 1868 Gospel Melodies 1868 Chapel Melodies (with Silas Vail) Biglow & Main 1869 Bright Jewels Biglow & Main 1871 Pure Gold (with W. H. Doane) Biglow & Main 1871, 1872, 1873 Hymn Service 1873 Royal Diadem (with W. H. Doane) Biglow & Main 1873 Temple Anthems 1874 Tidal Wave 1875 Brightest and Best (with W. H. Doane) Biglow & Main 1877 Gospel Music Biglow & Main 1877 Welcome Tidings (with W. H. Doane and Ira D. Sankey) Biglow & Main 1878 Chautauqua Carols 1879 Gospel Hymn and Tune Book (with W. H. Doane) 1879 Hymn Service for the Sunday School (with W. H. Doane and others) Biglow & Main 1880 Good as Gold (with W. H. Doane) Biglow & Main 1880 Hymn Service No.2 (with W. H. Doane and John Vincent) Biglow & Main 1881–1886 Cantatas for Christmas 1882 Our Glad Hosanna (with W. H. Doane) Biglow & Main 1882–1887 Cantatas for Easter 1884 Joyful Lays (with W. H. Doane) Biglow & Main 1886 The Glad Refrain (with W. H. Doane) Biglow & Main 1889 Select Gems (with W. H. Doane) American Baptist Publication Society 1889 The Bright Array (with W. H. Doane) 1898 Royal Hymnal (with Ira D. Sankey) Biglow & Main

Assessment and legacy "We owe a debt of gratitude to him and so many others of his day who have enriched our garden of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and enabled us to teach and admonish one another even as we express our praise and devotion to our Lord musically." source= La Vista Church of Christ, 2016 But it is principally as a hymn-writer that he is remembered. His hymns, says Hall, have "gone on and on ... What he had thought in his inmost soul has become a part of the emotions of the whole Christian world. We are all his debtors." A hymn, Lowry said should be easily understood, reflecting the writer's own experiences with strong inspiring words.

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