Albert Midlane

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Albert Midlane (1825-1909) was a British poet who wrote several hundred hymns, most notably "There's A Friend For Little Children".   Much of this content has been adapted from the Wikipedia article on Midlane.  

Early Life

Midlane was born the youngest of a largest family on January 25, 1825, in Carisbrooke, a village on the Isle of Wight in England.  His parents were James Midlane (d. Oct. 1824) and his mother was Frances (Lawes) Midlane.  His father died shortly before he was born.  

Congregational Influence

His mother, Frances, was a member at St. James Congregational Chapel, then under Rev. Thomas Binney, and James attended the Sunday School from a very young age, of which one of his Sunday School teachers was credited for influencing his early desire to write hymns. 

Baptist Influence and Profession of Faith

Midlane commented of his mother's influence, "How often from the cares of the family would the dear mother lead me into a quiet room; and there kneeling by my side would she, with holy fervour, by prayer bring God into all her circumstances down here; or by sweet communion be with God above them all."

Further reflection from another, "There came at an early period into the mind of one enjoying such holy influences, clear convictions concerning his state before God" and that blessing came to his soul at a Sunday School teachers' prayer meeting.  He was baptized at Castle-hold Baptist Church, Newport.   

Intro to the Plymouth Brethren

At the age of 23, it is cited in his Wikipedia biography that he "joined the Plymouth Brethren".  Between the address of his shop and Forest Villa, where he lived, was the little Gospel Hall where he labored.     

Isle of Wight split

Isle of Wight, which is the area where Midlane fellowshipped, contained an Exclusive meeting that split in 1876 over the "Ramsgate Question that split in a village of Ryde containing two Exclusive meetings, one initiated as a split by a former Anglican clergyman named Finch, that ultimately led to Edward Cronin being excommunicated and the Kelly Division, which was the first major split from within the Exclusives.

Work

After completing his schooling at Newport, he worked three years in a printing office, then became an ironmonger's assistant, then was self-employed as a tinsmith and ironmonger at the corner of St. James Street and South Street (since carried on as Gray's Waterproof Depot).  

Hymn Writing

He wrote his first hymn at the age of seventeen while visiting Carisbrooke Castle in September 1842, entitled "Hark!  In The Presence Of Our God".  It was published in "Youth's Magazine" in November 1842 under the name of "Little Albert".  His first hymn that brought eventual fame was "God Bless Our Sunday Schools" written at nineteen on May 24, 1844, and used the National Anthem as its tune.  

A brother named Julian wrote of Midlane's hymns, "his hymns are full of spiritual thought, careful in their wording, and often very pleasing without reaching the highest form of poetical excellence."

For the year 1908 he counted "just about 200 published compositions, which is about the annual average".  This total, however, included verses on national and local topics in the "Isle of Wight County Press" and other periodicals, as well as historical prose.  He also edited a local magazine entitled "Island Greetings".     He was noted to have been on friendly terms with Sir Alfred Lord Tennyson, Poet Laureate, who lived eleven miles away.  

There's A Friend For Little Children

His most notable hymn, "There's a Friend for Little Children", was written at the age of thirty-four on February 7, 1859 and was published in December 1859 in a periodical entitled "Good News for the Little Ones", a little paper for children, edited by Charles H. Mackintosh, printed under the heading "Above The Bright Blue Sky", which "at once gained popularity".    

It was included in the supplement to "Hymns Ancient and Modern" (1868) when a tune was composed offhand for it entitled "In Memoriam" (a tribute to his young son, Fred),  by Sir John Stainer, at the request of the musical committee for the hymnbook.  Stainer was an Anglican arranger credited with popularizing several current Christmas carols. 

"There's A Friend For Little Children" has since been translated into more than fifty languages, finding its way into over 200 hymnbooks, and had its own Jubilee celebration at St. Paul's Cathedral in London with over 3,000 children assembled to sing it.  Queen Victoria graciously accepted several volumes of his compositions, and the Prince Consort purchased a number for circulation among his friends.  

Hymnbook Publishing

Midlane published several of his own hymnbooks, each containing hundreds of his hymns, including two for children entitled "Jewish Childen's Hymn Book", and "Bright Blue Sky Hymn Book", the latter containing 323 hymns for children, all of his own composing.  

He was also engaged in Gospel preaching, and in furtherance of this he compile the "Gospel Echoes Hymn Book" and "The Gospel Hall Hymn Book".   The latter contains 278 hymns composed, and published when he was 80 years of age.   Many of the hymns were written from 1860 to 1861 and "during walks around the ancient and historic ruins of Carisbrook Castle, in the twilight hour so dear to thought."   Dr. Wolston's "Evangelist's Hymnal" contains 20 of Mr. Midlane's hymns.  

Midlane's Hymns in "Spiritual Songs"

His hymns in "Spiritual Songs":

  • 75: "No Separation!  O My Soul!"
  • 257: "Himself He Could Not Save"
  • 272: "Revive Thy Work, O Lord"
  • 390: "The Perfect Righteousness of God"
  • 404: "Oh, What A Gift The Father Gave"
  • 487: "Sweet The Theme Of Jesus' Love"


Marriage & Family; Financial hardship and deliverance; Death

He married Miriam Grainger, daughter of James Grainger of Newport, on March 20, 1851 and they had two sons and one daughter.   Unlike most authors, Mr. Midlane never took out a copyright for any of his hymns, and never derived any monetary benefit from them, and having become a guarantor for a friend, he was reduced to bankruptcy.  Admirers throughout the country, in conjunction with the Sunday School Union, raised a sum which enabled the bankruptcy to be annulled, and provided an annuity for Midlane and his wife.  He died of an apoplectic seizure on February 27, 1909 at his home in Forest Villa on South Mall, Newport, Isle of Wight.  He was buried in the Carisbrooke cemtery.   Mrs. Midlane died January 13, 1914.

Sources

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