The Holiness of God

Author: John Needham

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-pa… Go to person page >

Holy and reverend is [His] the Name. J. Needham. [Holiness of God.] In 1768 J. Needham published in his Hymns Devotional and Moral, No. 25, in 8 stanzas of 4 lines, a hymn beginning as above. This was in common use for many years. In 1853 George Rawton rewrote stanzas i., iii., and viii., and added another (ii.), thus forming a hymn of 4 stanzas. This was given in the Baptist Psalms & Hymns, 1858, and has passed into several collections, especially in America. In some collections it reads "Holy and reverend is His name." The ascription of the cento is J. Needham, 1768; G. Ramon, 1853.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)