We Would Remember Thee

Full Name: Gibbs, Alfred P., 1890–1967
Birth Year: 1890
Death Year: 1967

Alfred P. Gibbs was born in Birmingham, England in 1890 and spent his early years in Johannesburg, South Africa. He became a committed Christian through the influence of his twin brother, Edwin. During World War I, Gibbs served as a military chaplain, providing spiritual guidance and preaching to soldiers in training camps.

In 1919, he traveled to the United States to attend Moody Bible School in Chicago, where he became actively involved in a local Rescue Mission. During this time, he collaborated with several prominent assembly ministers, including Harold Harper, T.B. Gilbert, and James G. Humphrey, and formed a lasting friendship with George Landis, then a pastor of a small denominational church.

Gibbs lived a largely itinerant life and never married, dedicating much of his time to ministry and teaching young believers. He contributed to the musical life of the church by publishing a personal songbook in 1931, and his compositions were included in hymn collections such as Choice Hymns of the Faith and Hymns of Worship and Remembrance. Among his most enduring works are A Thousand Thousand Thanksgivings and Sweet Is the Story.

While he was known as a preacher of the gospel, Gibbs was particularly recognized for his ministry to children, and his work in this area remained a central part of his life. He died in 1967 following a car accident. His life and contributions to Christian ministry were remembered by contemporaries and fellow ministers, highlighting his dedication to the church and his influence on young believers.

Source Hymnary.org