author
d. 1694
A little-known 17th-century English clergyman and devotional poet, he is best remembered for writing earnest religious verse that stayed in circulation long after his death.
John Mason was an English minister and poet who died in 1694. The surviving biographical details are limited, but sources agree that he was educated at Clare Hall, Cambridge, served as curate of Isham, and later became vicar of Stantonbury in Buckinghamshire.
He is chiefly remembered for devotional writing, especially the spiritual songs and hymns associated with his name. His work has had a longer life than many writers of his era, with pieces preserved in hymn collections and religious anthologies.
Because reliable modern biographical material on him is sparse, many accounts of his life are brief. What stands out most clearly is the tone of his writing: serious, pious, and aimed at stirring reflection and faith.