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Jones, Sam #1

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Sam Jones. (1877-1946)


Sam Jones was a Worker and Overseer in Australia.

He wrote 112 of the hymns in 'Hymns Old and New',
1987 Edition, more than any other hymn author.

He also composed the tunes to four of them,
as well as many poems and artwork.

Sam Jones was born in Portadown, North Ireland in 1877.
He went forth to preach in 1902, and in 1908 went to South Australia,
then to Western Australia in about 1909 and became Overseer
there and then to Tasmania, where he spent about twenty years.

He returned to England for a visit and soon after he returned
to Australia, his discouraged companion left him.

Sam let him have what little money he had and went on alone.

Getting worn out with the journey, he took shelter in an empty house.
The next day he found himself too weak to walk, and he stayed there
for 18 days. He might have died there, but some gypsies found him and
gave him some food.
It was about this time that he wrote the hymn "I Cannot Now Go Back."

He loved to study nature as well as the scriptures, and he died while on a walk, April 14, 1946,

He has been called the Sweet Psalmist of Israel.