William Walsham How

Ordained in the Church of England in the 1840s, he studied at Wadham College, Oxford, and went on to serve as a parish priest before becoming the first Bishop of Bedford and later Bishop of Wakefield. He was known for energetic pastoral work, especially in poor urban communities, and for writing that aimed to comfort and encourage ordinary readers.

He is still best remembered by many listeners and churchgoers as a hymn writer. Among his most enduring hymns are For All the Saints, It Is a Thing Most Wonderful, and O Word of God Incarnate, works that helped secure his place in English hymnody.

Born in 1823 and dying in 1897, he left behind a reputation for kindness, devotion, and a down-to-earth style of ministry. That combination of compassion and clarity gives his writing a lasting appeal.