Thomas Rawson Taylor

Thomas Rawson Taylor was an English Congregational minister, teacher, poet, and hymn writer born at Ossett, Yorkshire, on May 9, 1807. He was educated at the Free School in Bradford and Leaf Square Academy in Manchester, then worked in a merchant’s office and a printing business before entering Airedale Independent College to prepare for ministry.

In July 1830 Taylor became minister of Howard Street Chapel in Sheffield, but serious ill health curtailed his pastoral work. He later served briefly as classical tutor at Airedale College before worsening health forced him to withdraw. He died on March 7, 1835, at only twenty-seven years of age.

His writings were gathered posthumously by W. S. Matthews in “Memoirs and Select Remains of the Rev. Thomas Rawson Taylor,” published in 1836. “I’m But a Stranger Here” appeared there under the heading “Heaven is my Home,” with the direction that it be sung to the air “Robin Adair.” John Julian later reported that it was apparently written during Taylor’s final illness. Other hymns from the same volume include “Earth, with Her Ten Thousand Flowers” and several texts for worship and Sunday-school use.