It is the year 1674; the place is God's House Tower, Southampton (1). A woman sits on a horse-block outside the prison, nursing her child. It is a hard seat, but not so hard as the hearts of her husband's persecutors, for he is inside, imprisoned for refusing to conform to the laws of the land relating to the worship of God. He is prepared to pay the price, as he would rather serve God than man, for he believes that Scripture alone should be our guide in worship.

He and his wife had been married but a year, and although he could not see the child's face, the sound of his crying would give him pleasure. How much more pleasure it gave him in later years when that child, who was born so small and sickly was to influence the worship of the nation more than any other single man. The father indeed, was suffering for his convictions regarding the worship of God, and those convictions were conveyed to his son, but his son, Isaac, had the opportunity and ability to give expression to them to an unimaginable degree. Isaac Watts became the father of the English Hymn, and the Writer of more hymns in popular use than any other man, except possibly Wesley. The impact of his father’s faith never left the son, and the son gave it an expression which has enriched the worship of Christians throughout the world ever since.

What kind of a man was Isaac Watts? We can form some idea from an essay written after a violent thunderstorm in which he wrote the following words: "Happy the soul whose hope in God composes all his passions amid these storms of nature, and renders his whole deportment peaceful and serene amid the frights of weak spirits and unfortified minds."

Here and elsewhere Watts speaks of the importance of remaining calm and even cheerful amidst the trials of life. He himself succeeded in doing this to a large degree, for while his outward circumstances were generally very comfortable, he was frequently ill. However, he remained unruffled, but this was not due to his nature for he was, we are told, ‘passionate and waspish’ but due to his confidence in the goodness of God. He was able to apply to himself the 'soothing oils' which he constantly recommended to his readers, many of whom were in circumstances altogether different from his, and frequently suffering persecutions of various kinds for their faith.

Watts, however, was not to be distinguished only as a man who could bear much hardship cheerfully. This was but the background to a life of constant activity in which he sought by every means in his power to further the kingdom of God. He was aware of the fact that he had been given many advantages and was determined to use them to the glory of the One to whom he owed all things.

Every skill and every opportunity was used to its fullest, to the single end of serving his master, the Lord Jesus Christ, to the benefit of His church on earth. He worked so hard, and for such long hours, however, that he had cause to regret it in later life. Thus, Watts was both content to bear his lot and use the gifts God had given him to the full.

Let us begin our story by tracing some of Isaac Watts’ ancestors. His grandfather, Thomas Watts, was a remarkable man. He commanded a warship in the year 1656 and his personal courage was outstanding. On one occasion while in the East Indies he was pursued by a tiger into a river and turned to grapple with the animal and, by his coolness and skill, succeeded in driving off the beast. In the war with the Dutch the vessel he commanded exploded, and by this accident he was killed in the prime of life. He was no rough seaman but good at mathematics, music, painting and poetry.

His grandson, Isaac, wrote these words in his memory' :

The poem from which the above lines are taken was dedicated to Isaac Watts' grandmother. She survived her husband for some time and almost saw her grandson finish his studies for the Christian ministry. The composition showed how much he thought of her. In his early education she played an important part, and sought to have a godly influence upon him. In his ode after her death he follows his ‘revered preceptress' to her ‘celestial dwelling’ and in the character which he assumes, that of a ‘painter-muse,' thus pictures her spirit :

While the delaying flesh lay shivering between!"