Life of Sarah Flower Adams

Sarah Flower Adams
Sarah Flower Adams (1805–1848) was an English poet, writer, and hymnwriter. She significantly influenced the religious beliefs of William Johnson Fox at South Place Chapel (now known as Conway Hall).
Sarah Fuller Flower Adams was born on February 22, 1805, in Old Harlow, Essex. She was baptized in September 1806 at the Water Lane Independent Chapel in Bishops Stortford.
Her father, Benjamin Flower, was a radical editor, and her mother was Eliza Gould. Eliza had an older sister named Eliza Flower, who was a composer.
Sadly, Sarah’s mother passed away when she was just five years old.
In the beginning, her father, who held liberal views in both politics and religion, took on the responsibility of raising the two girls and played a significant role in their education.
The Flowers, along with their father and sister, were regular contributors to the periodical called the Monthly Repository, which was overseen by Unitarian Minister William Johnson Fox.
Around 1825, after their father’s passing, the sisters became part of the Fox household. Both Sarah and her sister pursued literary interests and lived under Fox’s care as his wards.
Sarah Flower Adams’ Career and Marriage
Sarah Fuller Flower and her sister relocated to Upper Clapton, a suburb of London.
They became involved with a religious community that gathered at South Place in Finsbury.
This congregation was led by Fox, who provided them with guidance and support. In return, the sisters lent a helping hand to Fox in his endeavors.
Of the two sisters, Adams was particularly active in contributing hymns for the chapel service.
Some of her hymns, including the well-known “Nearer, My God, to Thee,” were published by William Johnson Fox.
Fox, a co-founder of the Westminster Review, used his Unitarian magazine, the Monthly Repository, to publish works by various authors.
These include William Bridges Adams, a prominent figure in railway engineering and polemics.
Adams and Sarah became acquainted with William Bridges Adams through their mutual friend, the feminist philosopher Harriet Taylor Mill.
Adams and Sarah tied the knot in 1834 and established their home in Loughton, Essex.
Both sisters continued to live with Fox until Sarah’s marriage in 1834 to William Bridges Adams.
Sarah Flower’s Works
Encouraged by her husband, Adams ventured into acting. In the 1837 season at Richmond, she took on notable roles like Lady Macbeth, Portia, and Lady Teazle, all of which were met with success.
Despite an offer for a role in Bath, a key launching point for the West End, her health deteriorated, prompting her return to literary pursuits.
Her Poem
Sarah Fuller Flower was a prolific author. Sarah Flower Adams’ poems found a home in various magazines, and she penned at least two substantial works.
In 1841, Sarah Fuller Flower Adams released her most extensive work, “Vivia Perpetua, A Dramatic Poem.”
This piece tells the story of a young wife who, in defiance of male authority, chooses to stand firm in her Christian faith, even in the face of death.
Sarah also made notable contributions to the Westminster Review. Among her writings was a critique of Elizabeth Barrett Browning‘s poetry.
Additionally, she penned political verses, including some for the Anti-Corn Law League.
Her work often championed equality for women and advocated for the rights of the working class.
Her Hymns
Sarah Fuller Flower Adams stands as one of the most notable hymnwriters in history, with her life dedicated to the journey of composing uplifting hymns.
She enthusiastically contributed 13 hymns to a compilation her pastor was preparing for his chapel, at his request.
This compilation was published in two parts from 1840 to 1841, with six hymns in the first part and seven in the second.
Among these, her two most renowned hymns, “Nearer, my God! to Thee” and “He sendeth sun, he sendeth shower,” appear in the second part.
Her sole additional published piece was a catechism for children entitled “The Flock at the Fountain,” which came out in 1845.
The hymn “Nearer, my God! to Thee” made its way to American Christians through the “Service Book.”
It was published in 1844 by Rev. James Freeman Clarke, D.D., of Boston, Massachusetts.
It quickly found its place in various hymn collections. Her selection of hymns published by Fox included her most famous piece, “Nearer, My God, to Thee.”
This hymn is said to have been played by the band as the RMS Titanic tragically sank in 1912.
Sarah Flower Adams’ Selected Works
Sarah Fuller Flower Adams (1805–1848) was a gifted poet, prolific writer, and hymnwriter.
She left an indelible mark on religious thought through her profound reflections on spirituality and devotion.
Her hymns stand as timeless expressions of faith, resonating with believers across generations.
Sarah’s selected works encompass hymns that have become cherished staples in Christian worship.
Her hymns offer a glimpse into her deep-seated faith and eloquent expression of the human connection with the Divine.
In a nutshell, some of her selected hymns include:
- Arise, my soul, to Pisgah’s height.
- Creator Spirit! Thou the first.
- Darkness shrouded Calvary.
- Gently fall the dews of eve.
- Go, and watch the Autumn leaves.
- He sendeth sun, He sendeth shower
- Nearer, my God, to Thee
- hallowed memories of the past.
- human heart! thou hast a song.
- I would sing a song of praise.
- Love! Thou makest all things even.
- Part in peace! is day before us?
- Part in peace, Christ’s life was peace.
- Part in peace, with deep thanksgiving.
- Sing to the Lord! for His mercies are sure.
- The mourners came at break of day.
- The world may change from old to new.
In this selected collection, we encounter hymns that have become anthems of devotion, their enduring message of spiritual closeness resonating with believers around the world.
These hymns reflect Adams’ deep faith and her ability to articulate profound spiritual truths through her poetry.
Sarah Flower Adams’ Later Life
Sarah faced a challenge in her career due to the deafness she had inherited from her father.
Additionally, both sisters, affected by their mother’s hereditary frailty, fell prey to illness in their middle years.
Eliza, her elder sister, passed away in December 1846 after a prolonged battle with tuberculosis.
Devotedly caring for her ailing sister took a toll on Sarah Fuller Flower Adams. Unfortunately, Sarah contracted tuberculosis while taking care of her sister, and her health gradually deteriorated.
Two years after her sister passed away, on August 14, 1848, at the age of 43, Sarah also succumbed to the illness in London.
She found her final resting place beside her sister and parents in the Foster Street cemetery near Harlow.
It was at her graveside that another of her hymns, “He sendeth sun, he sendeth shower,” was sung, marking its widespread recognition.
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