Payson was converted when he heard Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed. He was educated at various American schools, and finished his theological education in Edinburgh, Scotland. In Scotland, he started to preach in places with no Christian activity, and he could see fruit of his work. At the end of 1861 he returned to America and preached in Chicago, Illinois, where he met Dwight Moody. In 1866 he and his wife traveled to Egypt, Palestine and Europe. While in Palestine, he wrote the hymn “Gethsemane.” He was very fond of preaching to the children, and was called “The Children’s Evangelist.” His works in­clude:

• Hymns of Pray­er and Praise (ed­it­or)
• Jesus the Child­ren’s Friend, 1864
• New Prais­es of Jesus, 1869
• The Armor Bearer: A Choice Col­lect­ion of New and Pop­u­lar Hymns and Mu­sic, with War­ren Bent­ley (New York: Will­iam A. Pond, cir­ca 1876)

Sources

Hymns

1. Christ­ian [Children] Go and Tell Jesus
2. Gethsemane
3. Singing All the Time