This Week in Christian History: Mayflower, Pope Celestine, 'Sweet Hour of Prayer'

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Sunday, September 10, 2017

'Sweet Hour of Prayer' Published — Sept. 13, 1845

This week marks the anniversary of when the lyrics to the classic hymn "Sweet Hour of Prayer" were first published.

A blind English preacher named William W. Walford crafted the words, which were published on Sept. 13, 1845, by the New York Observer when a man named Thomas Salmon submitted them.

Later on, composer William B. Bradbury of New York added the melody to the hymn and had it published along with other tunes in the song book Golden Chains.

"Sweet Hour of Prayer" was a hit soon after its publication and remains so to the present day, with hymnary.org stating that the song has gotten into over 1,100 different hymnals.