William Poole Balfern was born in 1818 at Hammersmith. He entered the Baptist ministry in 1848 and labored chiefly in Brighton and the suburbs of London. In addition to prose works such as Glimpses of Jesus, Balfern published several volumes of poetry, including The Beauty of the Great King (1871), Lyrics for the Heart (1876), Hymns of the Passion (1882), and Pilgrim Chimes for the Weeks of the Year (1881, edited by Charles Bullock). His hymns appeared in numerous Baptist and Sunday school collections, such as Songs of Gladness (1871) and the Baptist Hymnal (1879). Notable among his works are "Come unto Me, the Saviour said," "O gentle Teacher, ever near," "O Lamb of God, most holy," and "Say not, O wounded heart." Though characterized by poetic simplicity, his hymns were marked by tender Christian feeling. Balfern died on July 3, 1887.
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