Cushing, William Orcutt

Author

b Hingham Center, Mass, USA 1823, d Lisbon, New York, 1902 or 1903. Ordained as a minister of the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, he served several New York pastorates (listed by Gordon Taylor as Searsburg, Auburn, Brookley, Buffalo and Sparta) until his relatively early retirement in 1870. By that time he had virtually lost his voice through an illness which prevented him from further preaching, possibly aggravated by the death of his wife. He then turned his gifts towards writing hymns of which more than 300 are known, many having been set to music by Robert Lowry, Ira Sankey (both qv) and other N American composers. 8 hymns featured in Sankey’s Sacred Songs and Solos, 3 are included in the Song Book of the Salvation Army, 1986, and one has enjoyed much popularity in the 20th c. But When he cometh, when he cometh to make up his jewels was once very popular, is still very moving, and features in some current evangelical books. No.887.