John Needham

Short Name: John Needham
Full Name: Needham, John, d. 1786
Death Year: 1786

Needham, John, was the son of John Needham, Baptist Minister, of Hitchin, Herts, but the date of his birth is unknown. He would doubtless be educated by his father, who was a tutor and in repute as a learned man. In 1750 Needham became co-pastor with John Beddome at the Baptist meetinghouse in the Pithay, Bristol; but, two years later, Beddome having retired through age, a violent controversy arose in the Church with regard to a continuance of the plan of co-pastorship. As the result, Needham and a number of his friends removed to a Baptist meetinghouse in Callowhill Street, where a Mr. Foot was pastor. For a time the two societies used the same builing at different hours, but in 1755 they were united, with Mr. Needham and Mr. Foot as co-pastors. It is known that up to 1774 this arrangement continued, and it is also known that in 1787, both Mr. Needham and Mr. Foot having died, the Callowhill Street Church became extinct, but which of the two pastors was the survivor is not known. The date of Needham's death is unknown. It was probably circa 1786. In 1768 he published Hymns Devotional and Moral on various Subjects, collected chiefly from the Holy Scriptures, &c, Bristol, S. Farley, 1768. These hymns are 263 in all, and whilst none of them possess great excellence, yet several are of a pleasing and useful character. During the past 120 years several have appeared in Nonconformist hymnbooks, and specially in those of the Baptists. Of these the following are still in common use:—
1. Ashamed of Christ! my soul disdains. Not ashamed of Christ.
2. Awake, my tongue, thy tribute bring. The Divine Perfections.
3. Glory to God, Who reigns above. Jesus, the Messiah.
4. Great author of the immortal mind. Imitation of God's Moral Perfections. From "flow matchless, Lord, Thy glories are."
5. Happy the man whose cautious steps. Christian Moderation.
6. Holy and reverend is the Name. Reverence in Worship.
7. Kind are the words that Jesus speaks. Christ the Strengthener.
8. Lord,ere [Now Lord] the heavenly seed is sown. Parable of the Sower.
9. Methinks the last great day is come. The Judgment.
10. Rise, O my soul, pursue the path. The Example of the Saints.
11. See how the little toiling ant. Youth for Christ.
12. Thou art, O God, a Spirit pure. God a Spirit.
13. To praise the ever bounteous Lord. Harvest.
14. When some kind shepherd from his fold. The Lost Sheep. From this “O how divine, how sweet the joy," in Hatfield's Church Hymn Book, New York, 1872, is taken. [Rev. W. R. Stevenson, M.A.]

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)


Texts by John Needham (76)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
Ashamed of Christ, my soul disdainsJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)English46
Awake, awake, arise, and hail the glorious mornJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)16
Awake, my tongue, thy tribute bringJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)English155
Behold, from realms of lightJohn Needham (Author)English2
Behold, He Comes—the Judge appearsJohn Needham (Author)English2
Behold the awful books displayedJohn Needham (Author)2
Behold the Lamb of God, The holy Baptist criesJohn Needham (Author)1
Behold the Prince of PeaceJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)English64
Blest is the memory of the justJohn Needham (Author)5
Blest news! To us a child is bornJohn Needham (Author)English2
Blush, atheists, blush, your airy schemesJohn Needham (Author)English2
Deluded souls, who think to find Needham (Author)English22
Fear is a grace which ever dwellsJohn Needham (Author)English1
Fountain of mercy, God of loveJohn Needham (Author)English2
From Thee, my God, all blessings springJohn Needham (Author)English2
Glory to God on high be givenNeedham (Author)7
Glory to God, who reigns aboveNeedham (Author)English37
God spake, and from chaotic nightJohn Needham (Author)3
Great Author of the immortal mindJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)English16
Great God of grace, arise and shineJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)18
Great God! Thy vast and deep designsJohn Needham (Author)English2
Great is the Lord, His power is greatJohn Needham (Author)English2
Hail, happy morn, whose early rayJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)11
Happy beyond description he Who fears the Lord his GodNeedham (Author)English23
Happy the man whose cautious stepsNeedham (Author)English24
Hast thou not said, almighty GodJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)5
He reigns—th’ Almighty reigns supremeJohn Needham (Author)English2
He’ll come, the Judge will surely comeJohn Needham (Author)English2
Holy and reverend is the nameNeedham (Author)English146
Jesus, delightful name!John Needham (Author)English2
Kind are the words that Jesus speaksJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)English32
കൃ-പയേറും ആട്ടിടയൻ (Kr̥-payēṟuṁ āṭṭiṭayan)John Needham (Author)Malayalam2
Long had the nations satJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)3
Look up ye saints direct your eyesJohn Needham (Author)English19
Lord, in Thy courts we now appearNeedham (Author)English24
Lord, in thy presence we appear To celebrate the opening yearJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)4
Lord, Thou wilt hear me when I prayNeedham (Author)English1
Lord! through the dubious path of lifeJohn Needham (Author)English2
மாண்டிடும் மாந்தரே கேளும் (Māṇṭiṭum māntarē kēḷum)John Needham (Author)Tamil2
Methinks the last great day is comeJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)English46
Mortals, give ear, the awful dayJohn Needham (Author)English2
My soul pursues no vulgar themeJohn Needham (Author)English2
No rod of vengeance Jesus takesJohn Needham (Author)English2
Now Lord, thy heavenly seed is sownJohn Needham (Author)English26
O God, thou art a Spirit pureJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)5
O happy time! Auspicious morn!John Needham (Author)English2
O how divine how sweet the joyJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)English87
பழிவாங்கும் குணமுள்ள (Paḻivāṅkum kuṇamuḷḷa)John Needham (Author)Tamil2
Prepare, ye saints, to meet your LordJohn Needham (Author)English2
Rise, O my soul, pursue the pathJohn Needham (Author)English108
See, Gabriel swift descend to earthJohn Needham (Author)English12
See how the little toiling antJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)English12
Stand up ye saints and boldly marchJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)10
The day, the solemn day shall comeJohn Needham (Author)English2
The heart, dejected, sighs to knowJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)10
The icy chains that bound the earthJohn Needham (Author)English17
The mighty God that rules the skiesNeedham (Author)4
The Prince of peace is come, And clothed himself in clayNeedham (Author)1
The Prince of peace is come! Ye nations, shout and singJohn Needham (Author)English6
The rolling year almighty LordNeedham (Author)15
The time by Heaven foretold is comeJohn Needham (Author)English2
The time draws near when thou my soulJohn Needham (Author)1
Thou art, O God, a Spirit pureJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)English28
’Tis nature’s voice which reason speaksJohn Needham (Author)English2
To distant lands thy gospel sendJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)English17
To praise the ever bounteous LordJohn Needham (Author)English64
What joy possessed my heartNeedham (Author)5
When Israe's sons, a murmering raceJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)5
When men, pretending to be wiseJohn Needham (Author)English2
When Sodom’s rich but guilty plainsJohn Needham (Author)English2
When some kind shepherd from his foldJohn Needham (Author)English12
Why are not sinners, Lord, consumedJohn Needham (Author)English2
With eye impartial, heaven's high KingJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)22
Ye humble saints, proclaim abroadJohn Needham, d. c. 1786 (Author)English20
Ye humble souls proclaim abroadNeedham (Author)1
Ye sons of Adam joinJohn Needham (Author)English2
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