James Arnold Blaisdell, born December 15, 1867, at Beloit, Wisconsin, received his education at Beloit College and Hartford Theological Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut. Ordained a Congregational minister in 1892, he was a pastor in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and Olivet, Michigan, before becoming professor of biblical literature at Pomona College, Claremont, California, for 18 years, 1910-1928. His outstanding work resulted in the conferring of honorary degrees by Hartford Theological Seminary, Occidental College in Los Angeles, California, and the
University of California. He died at Claremont, California, January 29, 1957.

This hymn text first appeared in American Student Hymnal, 1928, then later in the Methodist Hymnal, 1964.

This hymn is based on the idea that the Lord’s Supper is truly celebrated each time we have a fellowship in the breaking of bread in our homes with those who need our love. The second stanza says, “The bread is always consecrate Which men divide with men.” (See SDAH 259 for Percy Dearmer’s concept along a similar line.)

PERRY was composed in 1962 especially for this text, and included in The Book of Hymns, 1964. Leo Sowerby wrote it at Put-in-Bay, Ohio, the site of the International Peace Monument. It was from this bay that Commodore Oliver H. Perry went forth to his naval victory on Lake Erie during the War
of 1812.

Leo Sowerby, born May 1, 1895, at Grand Rapids, Michigan, studied at the American Conservatory, Chicago, and received the M. Mus. degree in 1918. In World War I he was bandmaster in Europe for the 332nd Field Artillery. In 1921 he was the first to receive the Rome Prize (three years of study in Italy) from the American Academy in Rome. Back in America, he was appointed head of theory and composition at American Conservatory in 1923. Amazingly, he held that position for 40 years! From 1927 to 1963 he was organist-choirmaster at St. James’s Episcopal Church, Chicago. Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York, awarded him the D. Mus. degree in 1934. For six years before his death on July 7, 1968, he served as director of the College of Church Musicians, Washington Cathedral, in the nation’s capital. He was a member of the tunes committee for the Episcopal Hymnal 1940, for which he furnished two original tunes and three arrangements. The Hymnal 1940 Companion says, “A fluent yet craftsmanlike composer, his works are fully developed in his mind before being put to paper, and seldom changed thereafter.” His first work, a violin concerto, was composed and performed when he was just 18. His symphonies and concertos were often given their premiere performances by the Boston and Chicago symphony orchestras. Organ works, anthems, and church music from his prolific pen have achieved wide circulation and performance.

📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.