Lyricist: Joseph Medlicott Scriven
From HymnsWithoutWords
Biography
Joseph Medlicott Scriven (1832 - 1918) was the writer of the poem which became the hymn [What a friend we have in Jesus]. He was born at born at Ballymoney Lodge, Banbridge, Ireland. He graduated from Trinity College, Dublin. His fiancée drowned in 1845, the night before they were to be married. The grief-stricken young man moved to Canada. He first settled at Rice Lake in Ontario, and later at Port Hope and there became a private tutor to several of the local families. There he again fell in love, was due to be married and the young woman suddenly fell ill and died. He then and embraced the teachings of the Plymouth Brethren and devoted his life to helping others. He died in 1918 at Port Hope.
He wrote a poem to comfort his mother called Pray Without Ceasing. It was later set to music and renamed by [:Category:Charles Crozat Converse|Charles C. Converse], becoming the hymn "[What a friend we have in Jesus]
