He worked as a missionary from 1945-1955 in Africa with the Churchmen's Missionary Society, and on returning to England he became the society's Home Secretary. From 1967 to 1974 he was Rector of Hawkwell, then of Peldon and two of its Essex neighbours until his retirement to Colchester in 1980. My mum took the same geographical route from Lancashire to Colchester.
Seddon saw the need to supplement the older 'missionary' hymns with fresher and more relevant texts which still conveyed the essential truth and worldwide urgency of the Christian gospel. His hymns and songs were born from his Moroccan experiences, some of the first were in Arabic; some English ones were issued in booklet form before appearing in the best-selling 'Youth Praise' in 1966, he also served on the more traditional committee for the 'Anglican Hymn Book' of 1965. He wrote some 30 hymns in all.
"Tell all the world of Jesus" is also a popular hymn amongst Methodists, my paternal grandmother was a Methodist living in the Fens in Cambridgeshire during the time Seddon was composing. This hymn is a favourite of mine, I've taken the liberty of attaching a recording of my youngest son singing it as part of his "Chorister of the Year" entry two years ago. Fond memories, he's a tenor now!
1 Tell all the world of Jesus,
our Saviour, Lord and King;
and let the whole creation
of his salvation sing:
proclaim his glorious greatness,
in nature and in grace,
creator and redeemer,
the Lord of time and space.
2 Tell all the world of Jesus,
that everyone may find
the joy of his forgiveness
true peace of heart and mind.
Proclaim his perfect goodness,
his deep, unfailing care,
his love so rich in mercy,
a love beyond compare
3 Tell all the world of Jesus,
that everyone may know
of his almighty triumph
defeating every foe.
Proclaim his coming glory,
when sin is overthrown,
and he shall reign in splendour
the King upon his throne!
James Edward Seddon (1915 - 1983)
