John Fawcett (theologian)

John Fawcett (6 January 1739 – 25 July 1817) was a British-born Baptist theologian, pastor and hymn writer.

[5] In 1777 a new chapel was built for him at Hebden Bridge, and about the same time he opened a school at Brearley Hall, his place of residence.

Fawcett was the author of a number of religious prose works, several of which attained a large circulation.

Poetic publications: One of Fawcett's hymns, "Humble souls who seek salvation" with the heading, "Invitation to follow the Lamb", (Matt 3:15) had the following note: "The author lays claim to this hymn, 'tho it has appeared under another name: he hopes that the insertion of it, and the following, (Ye saints with one accord) will give no offence to those of his friends who are differently minded, as to the subject to which they refer.

The original text of this hymn is in Baptist Psalms and Hymns, 1858–80) The first line is "A Fulness resides in Jesus our Head" and is rendered in this way in George Vicesimus Wigram's 1856 Little Flock Hymnbook, and in J.N.D's 1881 edition; also in William Kelly's 1894 edition.