Ada R. Habershon
Encyclopedia
Ada Ruth Habershon was a Christian
hymnist, probably best known for her 1907 hymn
"Will the Circle Be Unbroken?
"
, England
on January 8, 1861. Her father, Dr. Samuel Osborne Habershon, was a noted physician
; her mother was Grace Habershon. She was raised in Chelsea, London
, in a Christian home. In her twenties, she was a member of the circle surrounding Charles Spurgeon
. She met Dwight L. Moody
and Ira D. Sankey
in 1884 during their preaching tour of England. At their urging, she visited the United States
, delivering a series of lectures on the Old Testament
that were later published.
Habershon's first foray into hymn writing came in 1899, when she wrote several hymns in the German language
. She wrote her first English language
hymns in 1901, while ill. In 1905, Charles M. Alexander and Ruben A. Torrey toured the UK, and Alexander asked Habershon to write hymns for use during this evangelistic tour. Habershon ultimately sent Alexander over 200 hymns.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
hymnist, probably best known for her 1907 hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
"Will the Circle Be Unbroken?
Will the Circle Be Unbroken?
"Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" is a popular Christian hymn written by Ada R. Habershon with music by Charles H. Gabriel. The song is often recorded unattributed.-Lyrics:...
"
Biography
Ada R. Habershon was born in MaryleboneMarylebone
Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London, located within the City of Westminster. It is sometimes written as St. Marylebone or Mary-le-bone....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on January 8, 1861. Her father, Dr. Samuel Osborne Habershon, was a noted physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
; her mother was Grace Habershon. She was raised in Chelsea, London
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
, in a Christian home. In her twenties, she was a member of the circle surrounding Charles Spurgeon
Charles Spurgeon
Charles Haddon Spurgeon was a large British Particular Baptist preacher who remains highly influential among Christians of different denominations, among whom he is still known as the "Prince of Preachers"...
. She met Dwight L. Moody
Dwight L. Moody
Dwight Lyman Moody , also known as D.L. Moody, was an American evangelist and publisher who founded the Moody Church, Northfield School and Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts , the Moody Bible Institute and Moody Publishers.-Early life:Dwight Moody was born in Northfield, Massachusetts to a large...
and Ira D. Sankey
Ira D. Sankey
Ira D. Sankey , known as The Sweet Singer of Methodism, was an American gospel singer and composer, associated with evangelist Dwight L...
in 1884 during their preaching tour of England. At their urging, she visited the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, delivering a series of lectures on the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
that were later published.
Habershon's first foray into hymn writing came in 1899, when she wrote several hymns in the German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. She wrote her first English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
hymns in 1901, while ill. In 1905, Charles M. Alexander and Ruben A. Torrey toured the UK, and Alexander asked Habershon to write hymns for use during this evangelistic tour. Habershon ultimately sent Alexander over 200 hymns.
Works by Ada R. Habershon
- Types in the Old Testament, 1898
- Vorbilder: Christus im alten Testament, 1899
- The Study of the Types (London: Morgan & Scott, 1898)
- The Study of the Parables (London: Nisbet, 1904)
- The Bible and the British Museum (London: Morgan & Scott, 1904)
- The Priests and Levites, a Type of the Church; a Bible Study, 1908
- A Sevenfold Method of Studying the Epistles to the Seven Churches, 1914
- Hidden Pictures: Or, How the New Testament is Concealed in the Old Testament (London: Flemming H. Revell Company, 1916)
- The Day of Atonement in Its Prophetic Aspect, 1916
- A Gatherer of Fresh Spoil; an Autobiography and Memoir, 1918
- I Am a Prayer and Other Poems, 1918
- Israel’s Exodus: Past and Future, 1918
- Outline Study of the Tabernacle
- The Victorian Handbook of Types
- Study of the Miracles