Biography

Isaac Watts, also known as "The Poet of the Sanctuary" born in South, Hampshire England as the firstborn of his mother, is to become one of the most impactful men not only in English churches, but also in American churches. Watt's father, along with many other faithful men in this time period, was put in prison for refusing to conform to the Church of England, thinking it was unbiblical. Watts grew to follow his father's faithful example in life. In Watt's early years, he proves to be academically inclined in learning Latin at a rapid speed at the age of four, spring-boarding him to excel in elementary education. From Watts pre-teens to his years approaching young adulthood, he had successfully mastered three additional languages outside of Latin including Greek, French, and Hebrew. At age fifteen Mr. Watts came to put his trust in God, a turning point in his life. This decision to trust God led Mr. Watts to preach his first sermon on his birth date, July 17, 1698. He became an ordained minister on March 18, 1702. Although Mr. Watts was and still is of great value to hymnology, he was not exempt from trials during his life, he suffered from illnesses that would take him out of public service for months and even years at a time. 1712 was not his first time being out of public service due to illness, however, it humbled him for four years consecutively, moving him to request that his assistant become ordained and then his co-pastor. However, the illness might have sat Mr. Watts down he came out of with the published work Guide To Prayer. After this was published later in his life, he published Divine and Moral Songs for the use of Children in 1720, which is his most widely circulated publication. While Mr. Watts is finding his writing momentum he is honored in 1728 by the Universities of Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Between 1720 and 1741, he goes on to publish six more well-known works. In 1740 he publishes "Ruin and Recovery of Mankind" this is during the same time of The Great Awakening in America which Mr. Watts is truly moved by this movement in America for they were using his Hymns in the revival meetings. All great things come to an end, on a Friday, November 25, 1748, Mr. Isaac Watts passed away in the 75th year of his life.