Leaning On the Everlasting Arms

Elisha Albright Hoffman (1839–1929) was a highly influential American Presbyterian minister and gospel hymn writer whose work had a profound impact on Christian worship in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He was born on May 7, 1839, in Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania, to parents of German descent, and his father served for many years as a minister in the Evangelical Association. This early exposure to sacred music and daily family hymn singing nurtured Hoffman’s lifelong passion for Christian song.

After completing his education at Union Seminary in Pennsylvania, Hoffman was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 1873 and began his life’s work combining pastoral care with hymn writing and music editing. Early in his career he worked with the Evangelical Association’s publishing arm in Cleveland, Ohio, where he contributed to church songbooks and helped shape gospel music of the period. He later served in several churches across the Midwest, including in Cleveland and Grafton, Ohio, and later in Michigan and Illinois.

Hoffman was extraordinarily prolific. Over his lifetime he composed more than 2,000 hymns and edited over 50 hymn and song collections, contributing songs that became deeply embedded in American gospel tradition. Among his most beloved hymns are “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms,” “Are You Washed in the Blood,” “Glory to His Name,” “I Must Tell Jesus,” and “Is Your All on the Altar?” These hymns are still widely sung, valued for their clear gospel message, devotional warmth, and congregational accessibility. 

Hoffman’s hymns often combine personal trust in Christ, assurance of salvation, and earnest calls to faithful discipleship. His music reflects both deep theological conviction and a heart for encouraging believers in everyday faith. After decades of pastoral ministry and songwriting, he died on November 25, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois, and was buried in Oak Woods Cemetery. His legacy endures through the continued singing of his hymns in churches worldwide.