author
W. E. (William Evander) Penn
1832–1895
Best remembered as “Major Penn,” this 19th-century Baptist evangelist carried revival preaching across Texas and far beyond, and also left behind hymn collections used in his meetings. His life combined frontier religion, music, and a remarkable public presence that made him well known in his day.
1 Audiobook
There is No Harm in Dancing
by W. E. (William Evander) Penn
About the author
Born in Rutherford County, Tennessee, in 1832, William Evander Penn became a Baptist minister and later one of the best-known evangelists associated with Texas in the late 19th century. Sources consistently describe him as a powerful revival preacher who traveled widely in the United States, and some note that he also preached in Britain.
Penn is also remembered for his work with gospel music. Hymnary records that he compiled three editions of Harvest Bells for use in revival meetings, and his hymn writing was closely tied to the practical, heartfelt style of evangelistic worship.
He died in 1895 in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Although he is less widely read now than some religious figures of his era, his name still appears in Baptist history, hymn collections, and accounts of American revival preaching.