Runyan, William Marion

Composer

b Marion, New York state, USA 1870, d Pittsburg, Kansas, USA 1957. Keen on music from his early years in a Methodist manse, he played the church organ from the age of 12. He was ordained to the Methodist ministry in 1891, serving Kansas churches until 1903 when he became an evangelist for the Central Kansas Methodist Conference, remaining in that work for the next 20 years. Encouraged by Daniel Towner of the Moody Bible Institute, he wrote his first gospel song in 1915. From 1924 he taught at John Brown Univ, Sulphur Springs, Arkansas, also pastoring the Federated Church and editing the Christian Workers’ Magazine. His next move was to Chicago, working with the Moody Bible Institute and as editor for the Hope Publishing Company until his retirement in 1948. Awarded the Hon D Ll by Wheaton Coll, Illinois. No.258.