The Story of Reginald Heber

Posted by Lily Topolski Music on Nov 12th 2024

Reginald Heber only lived to the age of 43, but he left a great impact on the Christian world through his 57 hymns. Perhaps his most famous hymn is the well-loved Holy, Holy, Holy!.

Reginald Heber was born in 1783 to Reginald and Mary Heber in England. When he was still very young (as young as seven years of age), Heber began to write verses of poetry. He had the advantage of being taught at a very young age since his father himself wrote poems and had attended Brazenose College in Oxford. Heber continued to study diligently throughout his childhood until the time he finished college at Oxford, which he started attending when he was 17.

In 1807, Heber became a rector in Hodnet (Shropshire, England), and shortly after in 1809, he married. Also in the year 1809, he expressed interest in William Cowper's hymns, which led to him to begin writing his own hymns. It was during this time as rector of Hodnet that Heber wrote all of his 57 hymns.

After his 16-year tenure as rector, Heber accepted the position of Bishop of Calcutta and moved to India at the age of 40. It was in India that he would die only three years later in 1826 due to a sudden stroke. Although his hymns were never published in his lifetime, his wife found them after his death and was able to have them published in a volume entitled, "Hymns Written and Adapted to the Weekly Service of the Church Year". Heber's hymn Holy, Holy, Holy! has been published in 1,655 different hymnals and his songs continue to have a huge impact on Christianity.