William J. Reynolds, in his Companion to Baptist Hymnal (1976), p. 161, wrote as follows:
Happy Day appeared in William McDonald’s Wesleyan Sacred Harp (Boston, 1854), set to “Jesus, my All, to heaven is gone” with the present refrain, "Happy day, happy day, When Jesus washed my sins away!" Doddridge’s hymn was given as an alternate text. It is quite possible that the tune was known prior to this date and appeared in earlier collections. McCutchan indicates that the hymn tune refrain is from a song by Edward F. Rimbault, entitled “Happy Land.” More than likely the rest of the tune was the work of some anonymous musician or musicians.
Edward Francis Rimbault PhD LLD United Kingdom 1816-1876. Born in Soho, London, England, son of an organist and composer of French descent, he was taught music by his father., Samuel Wesley, and Wiliam Crotch. At age 16 he became organist of the Swiss Church in Soho. He later became organist at various churches, including St Peter’s, Vere Street, and St John’s Wood Presbyterian Church. He edited many collections of music, journals, and publications of music, and arranged music compositions. In addition to editing or arranging contemporary operas, he had a strong interest in editing or arranging earlier English music. He studied the musical treatises in the library of Archbishop Tenison, one of the oldest public libraries in Londo… Go to person page >
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