Tell It to Jesus

Jeremiah Eames Rankin (1828–1904) was a distinguished American Congregationalist minister, educator, and hymn writer who left a lasting mark on both sacred music and higher education. Born in Thornton, New Hampshire, Rankin was educated at Middlebury College and Andover Theological Seminary. Throughout his ministerial career, he held various pastorates across the eastern United States, including a notable fifteen-year tenure at the First Congregational Church in Washington, D.C. His influence extended into academia as he served for several years as the President of Howard University, an institution dedicated to the education of African Americans in the post-Civil War era.

Rankin is globally recognized for penning one of the most famous parting hymns in the Christian tradition: "God Be with You Till We Meet Again." Written in 1882, the hymn was intended to be a "Christian good-bye" based on the etymology of the word "good-bye," which is a contraction of "God be with ye." Rankin wrote the first stanza and sent it to two composers; he chose the melody submitted by William Gould Tomer, which was subsequently refined by the organist of Rankin's church, Dr. J.W. Bischoff. The hymn was popularized by the evangelist Ira D. Sankey and has since been translated into dozens of languages, serving as a standard benediction for congregations worldwide.

Beyond his most famous work, Rankin was a prolific editor and author. He edited the Gospel Temperance Hymnal and Gospel Bells, and his own hymns appeared in numerous 19th-century collections. His earlier hymn, "Laboring and Heavy Laden," written in 1855 for his sister who was seeking spiritual guidance, demonstrated his ability to write personal, invitational verse. He was also a skilled translator, producing English versions of German, French, Latin, and Welsh hymns, which he published in volumes such as German-English Lyrics, Sacred and Secular.

Rankin’s approach to church music was intentionally "popular" in style, designed to resonate with the crowds attending Sunday night gospel meetings. This accessibility contributed to the rapid adoption of his hymns in both America and Great Britain. In addition to his musical contributions, he was a respected preacher and author of several volumes of sermons, often writing under the pseudonym R. E. Jeremy. His work reflected a commitment to the "Gospel Temperance" movement, which sought to address social issues through the lens of faith and personal character.

Jeremiah Eames Rankin passed away in 1904, just as his hymns had reached the peak of their international fame. He is remembered as a man of great intellectual and spiritual breadth who successfully bridged the gap between the administrative rigors of a university presidency and the simple, heart-felt poetry of the gospel song. His legacy remains every time a congregation stands to sing his famous benediction, a testament to his desire to provide believers with a meaningful way to part from one another.