William Orcutt Cushing

Born:  December 31, 1823, Hingham Center, Massachusetts.

Died:  October 19, 1902, Lisbon Center, New York.

Buried: Jones Cemetery (near Searsburg), New York.

    Cushing’s parents were Unitarians, and his early training was along these lines. After entering the ministry, his first pastorate was at Searsburg, New York. He married in 1854, and went on to serve in Auburn, Brooklyn, Buffalo, and Sparta, New York. After his wife died in 1870 and his health declined, he retired from the ministry and began writing hymns. He completed over 300 in his lifetime.
    Cushing was an exemplary Christian, ever mindful of the suffering of others. Once he gave $1,000 — all he had, an enormous sum in those days — to a blind girl so she could get an education.

Hymns

1. Beautiful Valley of Eden
2. Do They Know?
3. Fair Is the Morning Land
4. Floral Praise
5. Follow On
6. Gathering Home to the Silent Shore
7. Hiding in Thee
8. Home at Last
9. I Am Resting So Sweetly in Jesus Now
10. I Am Waiting by the River
11. I Have Heard of a Land Far Away
12. Name of Jesus, The
13. No Hope in Jesus
14. Ring the Bells of Heaven
15. There'll Be No Dark Valley
16. Under His Wings
17. We Are Watching, We Are Waiting
18. When He Cometh
19. When Jesus Comes