Canadian Hymns (Hymns with a Canadian Connection)

Canadian hymns are found in many hymn books. There are quite a number of our hymns that either were written by Canadians, or that have some kind of connection with Canada. The following is not intended to be a complete list, but it provides a number of examples.

Crown Him With Many Crowns, was written by Matthew Bridges (1800-1894), who spent many years in Canada.

I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go, was written by Mary Houghton Brown, born in Canada in 1856. She died in Connecticut in 1918 of the influenza epidemic.

Unto the Hills, was written by John Douglas Sutherland Campbell (1845-1914), the former Governor General of Canada.

So Send I You, and many other hymns, were written by Canadian Edith Margaret Clarkson (1915- ).

The Ninety and Nine, was written by Elizabeth Cecelia Douglas Clephane of Scotland (1830-1869), about her wayward brother, who resided in Fergus, Ontario.

Work, for the Night Is Coming, was written by Anna Louisa Walker Coghill (1836-1907), who lived for a time in Sarnia, Ontario.

Gentle Mary Laid Her Child, is a carol written by Joseph Simpson Cook (1859-1933). He was educated at McGill University, and served with the Methodists and the United Church of Canada.

God Who Touchest Earth with Beauty, written for campers by Mary Susanne Edgar (1889-1973) of Ontario, who worked with the Y.W.C.A. in its early years and established a camp for girls.

My Jesus, I Love Thee, by William Ralph Featherstone (1846-1873), of Montreal, was likely written when he was converted at the age of 16.

Breathe on Me, Breath of God, by Edwin Hatch (1835-1889), an Englishman who served for a time as professor of classics at Trinity College, in Toronto.

All Your Anxiety, was given to us by Edward Henry Joy (1871-1949), who was for years a Salvation Army Officer in Winnipeg.

God Will Take Care of You; and His Eye Is on the Sparrow, were written by Civilla Durfee Martin (1866-1948), born in Nova Scotia.

Jesus, Wondrous Saviour, by Daniel Arthur McGregor (1847-1890), was the great theme hymn of McMaster University, in Hamilton, Ontario, in its more evangelical days.

Burdens Are Lifted at Calvary; and Why Did They Nail Him to Calvary’s Tree? are by John M. Moore (1925- ), a pastor in Toronto.

Is It the Crowning Day? was written by Henry Ostrom (1862-1941), a pastor and evangelist, born in Ontario.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus, was written by Joseph Medlicott Scriven (1819-1886), of Port Hope, Ontario.

The Wonder of It All; and the music for I’d Rather Have Jesus are by George Beverly Shea (1909- ), born in Winchester, Ontario.

Deeper and Deeper; God Is Waiting in the Silence; God Understands; Joy in Service Jesus; Saved! The Saviour Can Solve Every Problem; The Song of the Soul Set Free; and Then Jesus Came were written by Oswald Jeffrey Smith (1889-1986), a Toronto pastor who wrote something like 1,200 hymns. He likely ranks as the most prolific author of Canadian hymns.

What, Never Thirst Again? (also called simply Never Thirst Again) was written by Salvation Army officer, May Agnew Stephens (1865-1935), born in Kingston, Ontario.

O Canada, Canada’s National Anthem, by Justice Robert Stanley Weir (1856-1926), of Hamilton, Ontario, voices a prayer in the last stanza.

These are a few of the songs that could be called Canadian Hymns, or hymns that have some kind of connection with Canada.