Sarah Fuller Flower Adams

Sketch of Sarah Fuller Flower Adams, after a 1834 sketch by Margaret Gillies.

Sarah Fuller Flower Adams (22 February 1805 – 14 August 1848) was an English poet.

Biography

Sarah Fuller Flower was born at High Street, Old Harlow, Essex, younger daughter of Benjamin Flower, editor^[1] and the sister of composer Eliza Flower.^[2] In 1834 Sarah married William Bridges Adams, polemicist and railway engineer. They lived at Loughton, Essex, where there is a blue plaque to the couple. Her longest work is Vivia Perpetua, A Dramatic Poem (1841), having as its subject the life of the early Christians.

Mrs. Adams was a Unitarian and authored several hymns in her lifetime, among which are "Nearer, my God, to Thee" and "He sendeth sun, He sendeth shower." It should be noted that "Nearer, my God, to Thee" (see lyrics below) is of particular historical significance as it is reputed to be the final piece played by eight musicians on The RMS Titanic as it sank on April 14, 1912.

"Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me, still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to thee; nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down, darkness be over me, my rest a stone; yet in my dreams I'd be nearer, my God, to thee; nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

There let the way appear, steps unto heaven; all that thou sendest me, in mercy given; angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to thee; nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise, out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise; so by my woes to be nearer, my God, to thee; nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky, sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly, still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to thee; nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!"'

Sarah died from tuberculosis at the age of 43 and was buried at Harlow on 21 August 1848.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} John Julian D.D., A Dictionary of Hymnology, Second Edition, John Murray, 1907.
2. ^ Hale, Sarah Josepha Buell (1853). Woman's Record; Or, Sketches of All Distinguished Women, from "the Beginning .... Harper & brothers. pp. 874. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=13UEAAAAYAAJ. 

• H. W. Stephenson, The Author of Nearer, My God, to Thee, 1922
• H. W. Stephenson, Unitarian Hymn-Writers, 1931
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Adams, Sarah Fuller Flower". New International Encyclopedia. 1905. 
• http://www.titanic-titanic.com/titanic_band.shtml

External links

•  "Adams, Sarah Flower". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. 
• Index entry for Sarah Flower Adams at Poets' Corner

Persondata
Name	Adams, Sarah Fuller Flower
Alternative names
Short description	English poet
Date of birth	22 February 1805
Place of birth	Old Harlow, Essex
Date of death	14 August 1848
Place of death