Thomas John Williams

Welsh Hymn/Gospel songwriter and arranger. (25 April 1869, Ynysmeudwy, Glamor­ganshire, Wales -- 24 April 1944, Llanelli, Dyfed, Wales). He worked as an insurance man, studied un­der David Emlyn Evans, and served as organist and choir director at Zion Church (1903-1913) and Cal­fa­ria Church (1913-1944) in Lla­nel­li. His best known hymn tune is "Ebenezer (Ton-y Botel)," written in 1896 and named after Ebenezer Chapel, Rhos, Pontardawe. It was published in Yr Athraw (‘The Teacher’) in 1897, and used in Williams’ anthem Goleu yn y Glyn (‘Light in the valley’) in 1899. It appeared in the Baptist Book of Praise (1900, an English-language book for Welsh Baptists), and was included in EH (1906), set to ‘Who is this with garments gory’*, where it was described only as ‘Welsh Hymn Melody.' This tune has been set to many hymn texts; among them: "Come, O Spirit, Dwell Among Us"; "God hath spoken by the prophets" (United Methodist Hymnal #108); "Let My People Seek their Freedom"; "O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus"; "Once to Every Man and Nation"; "Singing songs of expectation, onward goes the pilgrim band" (Hymn 527 in The Hymnal 1982 according to the use of The Episcopal Church); "Thy strong word did cleave the darkness (Hymn 381 in The Hymnal 1982 according to the use of The Episcopal Church).