Manwaring, Randle

Born in 1912, Randle Manwaring spent his whole working life in the insurance industry in the UK. He was appointed to several positions in the insurance industry, including the President of the Society of Pension Consultants. Randle Manwaring earned a Masters Degree in History at Keele University in 1982.

Songs of the Spirit in Poetry and Hymnody
2004 0-7734-6330-5
Fashions in hymn-writing have fluctuated widely since Issac Watts, as a young man in the 17th century, pioneered the art. Until then, churches only sang psalms, later paraphrases, to be followed by the vast output of thousands of hymns by Watts and then by Charles Wesley. Both men became poets in their own right. Later, Victorians took up hymn-writing on a huge scale and in recent times excellent new hymns have been written, often referred to as songs although, sadly, some strong in devotion and sentiment, have been weak in poetry. The contention of this book, the author’s second on the subject, is that hymnody should always be sound in poetic construction and that as, Wesley declared, it should reflect the strength and purity of the English language.

Price: $139.95


Study of Hymn Writing and Hymn Singing in the Christian Church
1990 0-88946-798-6
Traces the continuing story of hymn-writing and hymn-singing in the Christian church and follows the golden thread through successive generations of Christians. Sets out to trace the development of English hymnody and the continuing link between the muse of poetry and the inspiration required in hymnody.

Price: $159.95