Sarah F. Adams

Sarah Fuller Flower Adams (1805–1848) was an English poet and hymn writer whose work remains a fixture in Christian worship. Born on February 22, 1805, in Harlow, Essex, England, she was the daughter of Benjamin Flower, a radical journalist and political writer. She died on August 14, 1848, in London, England, from tuberculosis.

Before her health declined, Adams pursued work as a playwright and actress. She was a member of the Unitarian church and wrote hymns for use in her chapel. Her most famous hymn, “Nearer, My God, to Thee,” was written in 1841. The hymn has since become one of the best-known in the English-speaking world, sung across many Christian traditions.

Adams’s other hymns include “He sendeth sun, He sendeth shower,” “Creator Spirit! Thou the first,” “Darkness shrouded Calvary,” “A parting hymn we sing,” and “Arise, my soul, arise.” Her poetry and hymnody reflect a thoughtful literary gift that has served generations of worshippers. Though she lived only to age 43, her contributions to hymnody have endured.