Haldor Lillenas

Lillenas emigrated to America as a child; his family settled first in South Dakota, then moved to Oregon in 1889. He attended Deets Pacific Bible College in Los Angeles, California (later renamed to Pasadena College); studied music at the Siegel-Myers School of Music in Chicago, Illinois; and received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Olivet Nazarene College. His first pastorate was in Lompoc, California, in 1910; he later pastored in Redlands, California, and Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1924, he founded the Lillenas Music Company (bought by the Nazarene Publishing Company in 1930), and worked as an editor there until his retirement in 1950.

Haldor married Bertha Mae Wilson, a songwriter like himself. He and Bertha were elders in the Church of the Nazarene. Haldor traveled as an evangelist, then pastored several churches, 1914-1924. In his lifetime, he wrote some 4,000 hymns, and supplied songs for many evangelists. His works include:

Special Sacred Songs, 1919
New Sacred Songs
Strains of Love
Special Sacred Songs No. 2

Source: www.cyberhymnal.org - no indication of copyrighted material.

The Bible Stands

Glorious Freedom

Wonderful Grace of Jesus

Wonderful Peace

Resources:

The Birth of a Hymn: Spiritual Biographies of 20 Hymn Writers and the Experiences That Inspired Them
By Keith Schwanz / Lillenas

The Birth of a Hymn is a fascinating look at the spiritual journeys of 20 hymn writers. Drawing on careful, insightful research, Dr. Keith Schwanz gives you glimpses into their lives, their thoughts, and the experiences that shaped their hymns. His selection includes contemporary writers like Gloria Gaither and George Beverly Shea, as well as voices from the past like Fanny Crosby and Haldor Lillenas. All were chosen for their association with the American Holiness Movement, a little-researched portion of our hymnology.

Schwanz writes, "John Wesley, the patriarch of the Wesleyan/Holiness Movement . . . had a high view of congregational singing. He believed that through the hymns of the church spiritual formation would occur. As a spiritual descendant of John Wesley, I hope this book enriches your hymn singing and your spiritual life as you 'grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ' (2 Pet. 3:18)."

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Haldor Lillenas