Haldor Lillenas
Encyclopedia
Haldor Lillenas was "one of the most important twentieth-century gospel hymn writers and publishers" and is regarded as "the most influential Wesleyan
/ Holiness
songwriter
and publisher in the 20th century". Additionally, Lillenas was an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene
, author, song evangelist
, poet, music publisher and prolific hymnwriter, who is estimated to have composed over 4,000 hymns, the most famous being Wonderful Grace of Jesus. In 1931 Lillenas was the producer of Glorious Gospel Songs, the first hymnal
for the Church of the Nazarene. In 1982 Lillenas was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame
.
, the son of
Ole Paulsen Lillenas (born May 1854 in Norway; died 24 July 1926 in Hennepin County, Minnesota
), a farmer and storekeeper, and his wife Anna Marie Lillenas (born March 1851 in Norway; died c. 1906 in Minnesota), and brother of Paul Olson (born 27 March 1879 in Norway; died 18 May 1934 in Hennepin County, Minnesota
), Johanes O. (born July 1882 in Norway), Katrine G. (born July 1888 in North Dakota
), and George M. (born 11 March 1896 in Astoria, Oregon
).
The Lillenas family farm comprised 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) of rocky ground, which was sold to allow the family to migrate to the United States. While Anna and her three children lived temporarily in a home south of Bergen, Ole Lillenas migrated from Norway to the United States of America via Canada in 1886, where he bought a farm in Colton, South Dakota
. After Ole finished constructing a sod house
, Anna, and the three children were re-united with him in 1887. In 1889 the Lillenas family relocated again to a farm on the Columbia River
near Astoria, Oregon
. While living in Astoria, Lillenas learned English and began to attend school. In 1900 the family moved to Roseville, Minnesota
. While in Roseville, Lillenas began attending high school in a Lutheran school at Hawick, Minnesota
. At the age of 17, Lillenas began a four-year correspondence course from the International Correspondence Schools
in chemistry and chemical analysis with private tutors. Lillenas worked as a farm labourer most of the year, but during winter he concentrated on his studies. About 1906 Anna Marie Lillenas died, and Ole decided to relocate the family to North Dakota
, however Lillenas decided to move back to Astoria, Oregon
, where he finished his correspondence course and found employment in a chemical factory.
ns at that time, Lillenas was raised in a Lutheran family. The Lillenas family were devout in their religious life, and attended community services when held in their area. At the age of fifteen Lillenas became a confirmed member of the Lutheran Church in Hawick
. However, Lillenas indicated in his autobiography that at that time, he had not experienced "the miracle of the new birth". As a young boy, Lillenas had been befriended by an elderly woman who taught him English, and told him about Jesus. As a consequence, in 1906 Lillenas began to attend meetings at the Peniel Mission
, a holiness rescue mission, in Astoria, Oregon
. where this woman was an active worker. According to Lillenas in a 1948 interview, it was shortly after the death of his mother, soon after moving to Astoria, one summer evening "he paused to listen to a street corner service. There he heard for the first time the strains of 'Tell Mother I’ll Be There'. He made his decision then to devote his life to Christian service." According to McGraw, the "singing and testimonies brought conviction to his heart. Later that year he was saved, and three weeks later his heart was cleansed. Soon he was "helping in the mission, singing to his heart's content, witnessing with joy to 'the wonderful grace of Jesus,' and writing songs with increasing skill and volume."
In 1907 Lillenas moved to Portland, Oregon
, where he worked with the Peniel Mission located at 247 NW Couch Street. All Peniel Mission workers were unsalaried, but the local mission paid for most of their expenses. Soon after, Lillenas testified that he believed he was called to be a minister of the gospel, at which time he was appointed leader of the Portland mission. During his year of leadership, "he saw so many souls won to Christ that he felt more certain than ever that he should devote his life to the Lord's work." In 1908 Lillenas became a member of the Portland First Church of the Nazarene
, then located at 428 Burnside Street, which had been founded on 4 July 1906. Soon after Lillenas enrolled in the ministerial course of studies, which he began by correspondence. Soon afterwards, Lillenas joined a vocal group associated with the Salvation Army
called the "Charioteers’ Brigade", which held street meetings and revival services throughout a large portion of California.
, located at the corner of San Pedro and East 28th Streets, Los Angeles, California
. Additionally, Lillenas was able to secure part-time work to finance his studies, but by the end of the year accepted the ministry as the music director of a local church, and active in songwriting and preaching. During this time Lillenas studied voice at the Lyric School of Music in Los Angeles.
; died 13 March 1945 at Tuscumbia, Missouri
),
the oldest daughter of Rev. William C. Wilson
(1866–1915), then pastor of Pasadena First Church of the Nazarene., but later a general superintendent
in the Church of the Nazarene. Lillenas and Bertha Mae both preached, sang, and wrote songs, and often practised in the home of her father. In his autobiography
Lilenas recalled: "We soon learned that our voices blended well and so we arranged it that our lives should also be blended." On 4 October 1910 Lillenas married Bertha Mae. Bertha Mae was later an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene
and composer
. They had two children: Evangeline Mae (born 27 November 1911 in Santa Barbara, California
) and Wendell Haldor (born 14 April 1915 in Illinois
; died 1967 in Bethany, Oklahoma
).
; died October 1974 in Kansas) later that year.
, halfway between Tusumbria
and Iberia
on Missouri Route 17, about 75 kilometres (46.6 mi) southeast of Jefferson City
, where they constructed their home, that they called "Melody Lane". It was here that Bertha Mae died of cancer in March 1945, and where Lillenas and his second wife, Lola, lived until they relocated to Pasadena, California
by 1955. When they lived at Melody Lane, Lillenas was an active member of the Iberia Church of the Nazarene, where there is now a memorial stained glass window in his honour.
After a visit to Israel
in 1955, Lillenas sponsored a Palestinian
Greek Orthodox family he had met as immigrants to the USA, that included twelve-year old Sirhan Bishara Sirhan (born March 19, 1944), the convicted assassin
of Robert F. Kennedy
. After their arrival in Pasadena, California
in January 1957, the Sirhan family stayed with Lillenas for three months in his home, before moving into a home Lillenas rented and furnished for them. When Mary Sirhan's husband abandoned her and her two sons, and returned to Jordan, Lillenas ensured that they were able to remain in the USA.
and is buried at the Forest Hill Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri
.
for the Church of the Nazarene
for fifteen years from 1910. Soon after his marriage in October 1910, they moved to Sacramento, California
where they took charge of the Peniel Mission
. After a year, Lillenas became the pastor of the Lompoc, California
Church of the Nazarene. Lillenas and Bertha Mae were both ordained as elders in the Church of the Nazarene on the Southern California District in 1912 by Dr. Hiram F. Reynolds. At the time Bertha's father was the district superintendent. During this pastorate, Lillenas took a two-year course in composition and harmony
with Welsh singer and composer Daniel Protheroe
(born 5 November 1866; died 25 February 1934) and Adolph Rosenbecker from the Siegel-Myers University Correspondence School of Music in Chicago, Illinois (also known as the University Extension Conservatory). Because of his pastoral duties, it took him three years to complete the course.
Lillenas subsequently pastored churches in Pomona, California
; Redlands, California
; Auburn, Illinois
(1916–1919); Peniel, Texas; and Indianapolis, Indiana
(1923–1926). When Lillenas resigned from Indianapolis First Church to focus on his publishing house, Bertha became the pastor until they relocated to Kansas City, Missouri
in 1930.
services. Among those churches where he held evangelistic services was the Wesleyan Methodist Church in New Jersey
where the father of George Beverly Shea
was the pastor.
” from that venture. My first few songs were not too successful.” In the same interview he revealed that after many rejections, he finally succeeded in selling ten of his songs to one publisher for 50 cents each. One of these songs, He Set Me Free, became popular. Lillenas indicated that soon after his conversion at the age of 21, that he began to increasingly write hymns and songs that expressed his faith and joy. Lillenas was a prolific composer of hymn
s, and it is estimated that "in his lifetime, he wrote some 4,000 hymns, and supplied songs for many evangelists." Lillenas composed songs for cantata
s for Easter
and Christmas
, Special Day church services. Lillenas used many pseudonym
s to compose his songs, including Virginia Rose Golden, Laverne Gray, Richard Hainsworth, Rev. H. N. Lines, Robert Whitmore and Ferne Winters. In 1938 Lillenas became a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).
While some of his hymns, such as Wonderful Grace of Jesus and The Bible Stands, crossed denominational barriers and appeared in the hymnals of various Protestant churches, most were used by Lillenas' own denomination and its ecclesiastical cousins within the Wesleyan-Holiness movement. Nazarene historian Floyd Cunningham sees "the number of songs by Haldor Lillenas that we sang, that were peculiar to us" as evidence of increased sectarianism
in the Church of the Nazarene in its second generation. Timothy Smith
asserts that this generation believed that "to keep the Spirit in the church, it seemed necessary to keep up the tempo." Among the prominent hymns that Lillenas wrote are:
In 1958 Lillenas wrote The Sun Never Sets, a song to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the creation of the Church of the Nazarene
, based on a quotation from early Nazarene founder Phineas Bresee, who often said: "We are in the sunrise of the Nazarene movement and the sun never sets in the morning."
. Lillenas explains the origin of this gospel song:
Wonderful Grace of Jesus was copyrighted in 1918, but not published until 1922 in the Tabernacle Choir Book. Lillenas was paid $5.00 for this song.
(at the corner with Arlington Avenue). In 1926 Lillenas resigned as pastor to allow him to devote his energies to the publishing comnpany. Bertha Mae assumed the pastoral responsibilities. Before Lillenas Publishing Company was sold to the Nazarene Publishing House
in Kansas City, Missouri
in 1930, more than 700,000 hymnals and song books were published and sold. The sale included 1,535 copyright
s. The sale agreement mandated that Lillenas would serve as manager of Lillenas Publishing Company for ten years and then be reviewed. However Lillenas continued as an editor until his retirement in 1950, at the age of 65. After his retirement, Lillenas served as an adviser to the Music department of Nazarene Publishing House until his death.
. Lillenas' first book was Special Sacred Songs, which was published in 1919. Among his other publications was the first official hymnal for the Church of the Nazarene, Glorious Gospel Songs, published in 1931, soon after Lillenas Publishing Company became part of the Nazarene Publishing House. Glorious Gospel Songs included about 700 hymns and gospel songs, of which 81 were of his own composition.
After his retirement from the Nazarene Publishing House in 1950, Lillenas and his second wife, Lola, travelled extensively, including three trips to his native Norway. During this period Lillenas wrote three books: Modern Gospel Song Stories (1952); an autobiography
, Down Melody Lane: An Autobiography (1953); and Motoring 11,000 miles Through Norway: A Guide for Tourists with Sixty Suggested Tours (1955), a travel book based on his three trips to Norway.
awarded Lillenas an honorary Doctor of Music
degree in recognition of his contributions to American hymnody.
In 1982 Lillenas was inducted into the Gospel Music Association
Hall of Fame, in the same class as John T. Benson
, Sr.; Thomas A. Dorsey
; Charles H. Gabriel
; Lowell Mason
; B.B. McKinney
; and John Newton
.
In the Caravan scouting programme of the Church of the Nazarene, the Haldor Lillenas Award is presented to outstanding fifth and sixth grade children.
Wesleyanism
Wesleyanism or Wesleyan theology refers, respectively, to either the eponymous movement of Protestant Christians who have historically sought to follow the methods or theology of the eighteenth-century evangelical reformers, John Wesley and his brother Charles Wesley, or to the likewise eponymous...
/ Holiness
Holiness movement
The holiness movement refers to a set of beliefs and practices emerging from the Methodist Christian church in the mid 19th century. The movement is distinguished by its emphasis on John Wesley's doctrine of "Christian perfection" - the belief that it is possible to live free of voluntary sin - and...
songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and publisher in the 20th century". Additionally, Lillenas was an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene
Church of the Nazarene
The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
, author, song evangelist
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
, poet, music publisher and prolific hymnwriter, who is estimated to have composed over 4,000 hymns, the most famous being Wonderful Grace of Jesus. In 1931 Lillenas was the producer of Glorious Gospel Songs, the first hymnal
Hymnal
Hymnal or hymnary or hymnbook is a collection of hymns, i.e. religious songs, usually in the form of a book. The earliest hand-written hymnals are known since Middle Ages in the context of European Christianity...
for the Church of the Nazarene. In 1982 Lillenas was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame
Gospel Music Hall of Fame
The Gospel Music Hall of Fame, created in 1971 by the Gospel Music Association, is a Hall of Fame dedicated exclusively to recognizing meaningful contributions by individuals and groups in all forms of gospel music.-Inductees:...
.
Early life
Haldor Lillenas was born on 19 November 1885 on Stord Island, near Bergen, NorwayBergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, the son of
Ole Paulsen Lillenas (born May 1854 in Norway; died 24 July 1926 in Hennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. As of 2010 the population was 1,152,425. Its county seat is Minneapolis. It is by far the most populous county in Minnesota; more than one in five Minnesotans live...
), a farmer and storekeeper, and his wife Anna Marie Lillenas (born March 1851 in Norway; died c. 1906 in Minnesota), and brother of Paul Olson (born 27 March 1879 in Norway; died 18 May 1934 in Hennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. As of 2010 the population was 1,152,425. Its county seat is Minneapolis. It is by far the most populous county in Minnesota; more than one in five Minnesotans live...
), Johanes O. (born July 1882 in Norway), Katrine G. (born July 1888 in North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
), and George M. (born 11 March 1896 in Astoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
).
The Lillenas family farm comprised 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) of rocky ground, which was sold to allow the family to migrate to the United States. While Anna and her three children lived temporarily in a home south of Bergen, Ole Lillenas migrated from Norway to the United States of America via Canada in 1886, where he bought a farm in Colton, South Dakota
Colton, South Dakota
Colton is a city in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 687 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Colton is located at ....
. After Ole finished constructing a sod house
Sod house
The sod house or "soddy" was a corollary to the log cabin during frontier settlement of Canada and the United States. The prairie lacked standard building materials such as wood or stone; however, sod from thickly-rooted prairie grass was abundant...
, Anna, and the three children were re-united with him in 1887. In 1889 the Lillenas family relocated again to a farm on the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
near Astoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
. While living in Astoria, Lillenas learned English and began to attend school. In 1900 the family moved to Roseville, Minnesota
Roseville, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,690 people, 14,598 households, and 8,598 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,543.9 people per square mile . There were 14,917 housing units at an average density of 1,126.4 per square mile...
. While in Roseville, Lillenas began attending high school in a Lutheran school at Hawick, Minnesota
Hawick, Minnesota
Hawick is a small unincorporated community in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, United States. Minnesota State Highway 23 serves as a main route in the community. Hawick is located between the cities of Paynesville and New London at the junction of Highway 23 and County Road 2.The community is located...
. At the age of 17, Lillenas began a four-year correspondence course from the International Correspondence Schools
International Correspondence Schools
International Correspondence Schools, also known as ICS Learn and ICS, is an educational institute established in 1890 that provides correspondence and distance learning courses...
in chemistry and chemical analysis with private tutors. Lillenas worked as a farm labourer most of the year, but during winter he concentrated on his studies. About 1906 Anna Marie Lillenas died, and Ole decided to relocate the family to North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, however Lillenas decided to move back to Astoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
, where he finished his correspondence course and found employment in a chemical factory.
Spiritual experience
Like many ScandinaviaScandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
ns at that time, Lillenas was raised in a Lutheran family. The Lillenas family were devout in their religious life, and attended community services when held in their area. At the age of fifteen Lillenas became a confirmed member of the Lutheran Church in Hawick
Hawick
Hawick is a town in the Scottish Borders of south east Scotland. It is south-west of Jedburgh and south-southeast of Selkirk. It is one of the farthest towns from the sea in Scotland, in the heart of Teviotdale, and the biggest town in the former county of Roxburghshire. Hawick's architecture is...
. However, Lillenas indicated in his autobiography that at that time, he had not experienced "the miracle of the new birth". As a young boy, Lillenas had been befriended by an elderly woman who taught him English, and told him about Jesus. As a consequence, in 1906 Lillenas began to attend meetings at the Peniel Mission
Peniel Mission
The Peniel Mission was an interdenominational holiness rescue mission that was started in Los Angeles, California on 11 November 1886 by Theodore Pollock Ferguson and Manie Payne Ferguson...
, a holiness rescue mission, in Astoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
. where this woman was an active worker. According to Lillenas in a 1948 interview, it was shortly after the death of his mother, soon after moving to Astoria, one summer evening "he paused to listen to a street corner service. There he heard for the first time the strains of 'Tell Mother I’ll Be There'. He made his decision then to devote his life to Christian service." According to McGraw, the "singing and testimonies brought conviction to his heart. Later that year he was saved, and three weeks later his heart was cleansed. Soon he was "helping in the mission, singing to his heart's content, witnessing with joy to 'the wonderful grace of Jesus,' and writing songs with increasing skill and volume."
In 1907 Lillenas moved to Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, where he worked with the Peniel Mission located at 247 NW Couch Street. All Peniel Mission workers were unsalaried, but the local mission paid for most of their expenses. Soon after, Lillenas testified that he believed he was called to be a minister of the gospel, at which time he was appointed leader of the Portland mission. During his year of leadership, "he saw so many souls won to Christ that he felt more certain than ever that he should devote his life to the Lord's work." In 1908 Lillenas became a member of the Portland First Church of the Nazarene
Church of the Nazarene
The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
, then located at 428 Burnside Street, which had been founded on 4 July 1906. Soon after Lillenas enrolled in the ministerial course of studies, which he began by correspondence. Soon afterwards, Lillenas joined a vocal group associated with the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
called the "Charioteers’ Brigade", which held street meetings and revival services throughout a large portion of California.
Ministerial preparation
As a result of some generous donations, and the efforts of Rev. A.O. Hendricks, pastor of the Portland Church of the Nazarene, in 1909 Lillenas was able to continue his ministerial studies at the Deets Pacific Bible College, an antecedent of Point Loma Nazarene UniversityPoint Loma Nazarene University
Point Loma Nazarene University is a Christian liberal arts college. Its main campus is located on the Point Loma oceanfront in San Diego, California. It was founded in 1902 as a Bible college by the Church of the Nazarene.-History:...
, located at the corner of San Pedro and East 28th Streets, Los Angeles, California
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Additionally, Lillenas was able to secure part-time work to finance his studies, but by the end of the year accepted the ministry as the music director of a local church, and active in songwriting and preaching. During this time Lillenas studied voice at the Lyric School of Music in Los Angeles.
Bertha Mae Wilson
While at Deets College Lillenas was on a college group that held evangelistic services most weekends. On this team was another student, Bertha Mae Wilson (born 1 March 1889 in Hanson, KentuckyHanson, Kentucky
Hanson is a city in Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 625 at the 2000 census. It is named for Henry B. Hanson, a civil engineer and surveyor who plotted the town for the Henderson and Nashville Railroad . CSX Transportation runs through Hanson and operates a siding track...
; died 13 March 1945 at Tuscumbia, Missouri
Tuscumbia, Missouri
Tuscumbia is a village in and the county seat of Miller County, Missouri, United States. The population was 218 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town.-Geography:Tuscumbia is located at ....
),
the oldest daughter of Rev. William C. Wilson
William C. Wilson
William C. Wilson was a minister and general superintendent in the Church of the Nazarene. A native of Kentucky, W. C. Wilson was a Methodist pastor and evangelist before joining the Church of the Nazarene on the West Coast in 1903. He served as pastor and district superintendent until 1915. Dr...
(1866–1915), then pastor of Pasadena First Church of the Nazarene., but later a general superintendent
General Superintendent (Church of the Nazarene)
General Superintendent is the highest elected office within the Church of the Nazarene. General Superintendents are elected by the General Assembly of the denomination for a four year term to expire at the end of the next General Assembly....
in the Church of the Nazarene. Lillenas and Bertha Mae both preached, sang, and wrote songs, and often practised in the home of her father. In his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
Lilenas recalled: "We soon learned that our voices blended well and so we arranged it that our lives should also be blended." On 4 October 1910 Lillenas married Bertha Mae. Bertha Mae was later an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene
Church of the Nazarene
The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
. They had two children: Evangeline Mae (born 27 November 1911 in Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
) and Wendell Haldor (born 14 April 1915 in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
; died 1967 in Bethany, Oklahoma
Bethany, Oklahoma
Bethany is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. The population was 20,307 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bethany is located at ....
).
Lola Dell
After the death of Bertha from cancer in March 1945, Lillenas married Lola Dell (born 23 March 1894 in KansasKansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
; died October 1974 in Kansas) later that year.
Later years
In 1938 Lillenas and Bertha Mae purchased a 500 acres (2 km²) rural estate in the Miller County, Missouri hills in The OzarksThe Ozarks
The Ozarks are a physiographic and geologic highland region of the central United States. It covers much of the southern half of Missouri and an extensive portion of northwestern and north central Arkansas...
, halfway between Tusumbria
Tuscumbia, Missouri
Tuscumbia is a village in and the county seat of Miller County, Missouri, United States. The population was 218 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town.-Geography:Tuscumbia is located at ....
and Iberia
Iberia, Missouri
Iberia is a city in Miller County, Missouri. The population was 605 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Iberia is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
on Missouri Route 17, about 75 kilometres (46.6 mi) southeast of Jefferson City
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
, where they constructed their home, that they called "Melody Lane". It was here that Bertha Mae died of cancer in March 1945, and where Lillenas and his second wife, Lola, lived until they relocated to Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
by 1955. When they lived at Melody Lane, Lillenas was an active member of the Iberia Church of the Nazarene, where there is now a memorial stained glass window in his honour.
After a visit to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1955, Lillenas sponsored a Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
Greek Orthodox family he had met as immigrants to the USA, that included twelve-year old Sirhan Bishara Sirhan (born March 19, 1944), the convicted assassin
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
of Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
. After their arrival in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
in January 1957, the Sirhan family stayed with Lillenas for three months in his home, before moving into a home Lillenas rented and furnished for them. When Mary Sirhan's husband abandoned her and her two sons, and returned to Jordan, Lillenas ensured that they were able to remain in the USA.
Death and burial
Lillenas died on 18 August 1959 at Aspen, ColoradoAspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
and is buried at the Forest Hill Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
.
Pastor
Soon after his conversion in 1906, Lillenas was convinced that he was called to be a minister. Lillenas was a pastorPastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
for the Church of the Nazarene
Church of the Nazarene
The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
for fifteen years from 1910. Soon after his marriage in October 1910, they moved to Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
where they took charge of the Peniel Mission
Peniel Mission
The Peniel Mission was an interdenominational holiness rescue mission that was started in Los Angeles, California on 11 November 1886 by Theodore Pollock Ferguson and Manie Payne Ferguson...
. After a year, Lillenas became the pastor of the Lompoc, California
Lompoc, California
Lompoc is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The city was incorporated in 1888. The population was 42,434 at the 2010 census, up from 41,103 at the 2000 census....
Church of the Nazarene. Lillenas and Bertha Mae were both ordained as elders in the Church of the Nazarene on the Southern California District in 1912 by Dr. Hiram F. Reynolds. At the time Bertha's father was the district superintendent. During this pastorate, Lillenas took a two-year course in composition and harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
with Welsh singer and composer Daniel Protheroe
Daniel Protheroe
Daniel Protheroe , was a Welsh composer and conductor, born at Cwmgiedd near Ystradgynlais, Brecknockshire. After success at the National Eisteddfod at a young age, he emigrated to the USA, where he was educated...
(born 5 November 1866; died 25 February 1934) and Adolph Rosenbecker from the Siegel-Myers University Correspondence School of Music in Chicago, Illinois (also known as the University Extension Conservatory). Because of his pastoral duties, it took him three years to complete the course.
Lillenas subsequently pastored churches in Pomona, California
Pomona, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Pomona had a population of 149,058, a slight decline from the 2000 census population. The population density was 6,491.2 people per square mile...
; Redlands, California
Redlands, California
Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 68,747, up from 63,591 at the 2000 census. The city is located east of downtown San Bernardino.- History :...
; Auburn, Illinois
Auburn, Illinois
Auburn is a city in Sangamon County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,317 at the 2000 census, and 4,445 in 2009. It is part of the Springfield, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Auburn is located at ....
(1916–1919); Peniel, Texas; and Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
(1923–1926). When Lillenas resigned from Indianapolis First Church to focus on his publishing house, Bertha became the pastor until they relocated to Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
in 1930.
Song evangelist
For ten years Lillenas was a song evangelist, who travelled with Bertha Mae holding revivalRevival meeting
A revival meeting is a series of Christian religious services held in order to inspire active members of a church body, to raise funds and to gain new converts...
services. Among those churches where he held evangelistic services was the Wesleyan Methodist Church in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
where the father of George Beverly Shea
George Beverly Shea
George Beverly "Bev" Shea is a Grammy Award-winning Canadian-born American gospel singer and hymn composer. Shea has often been described as "America's beloved Gospel singer" and is considered "the first international singing 'star' of the gospel world," as a consequence of his solos at Billy...
was the pastor.
Hymnwriter
From a very young age, Lillenas began to write his own songs, however it was not until he was 19 years old, that he attempted to have them published. In a 1948 interview, Lillenas indicated: "“I was living in North Dakota at that time and I noticed an advertisement from a publishing company asking for new songs to publish. I didn’t know then that a reputable publisher never has to advertise for songs. I spent $25 to have my songs published and I received $3.65 in “royaltiesRoyalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
” from that venture. My first few songs were not too successful.” In the same interview he revealed that after many rejections, he finally succeeded in selling ten of his songs to one publisher for 50 cents each. One of these songs, He Set Me Free, became popular. Lillenas indicated that soon after his conversion at the age of 21, that he began to increasingly write hymns and songs that expressed his faith and joy. Lillenas was a prolific composer of hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s, and it is estimated that "in his lifetime, he wrote some 4,000 hymns, and supplied songs for many evangelists." Lillenas composed songs for cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
s for Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
and Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, Special Day church services. Lillenas used many pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s to compose his songs, including Virginia Rose Golden, Laverne Gray, Richard Hainsworth, Rev. H. N. Lines, Robert Whitmore and Ferne Winters. In 1938 Lillenas became a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).
While some of his hymns, such as Wonderful Grace of Jesus and The Bible Stands, crossed denominational barriers and appeared in the hymnals of various Protestant churches, most were used by Lillenas' own denomination and its ecclesiastical cousins within the Wesleyan-Holiness movement. Nazarene historian Floyd Cunningham sees "the number of songs by Haldor Lillenas that we sang, that were peculiar to us" as evidence of increased sectarianism
Sectarianism
Sectarianism, according to one definition, is bigotry, discrimination or hatred arising from attaching importance to perceived differences between subdivisions within a group, such as between different denominations of a religion, class, regional or factions of a political movement.The ideological...
in the Church of the Nazarene in its second generation. Timothy Smith
Timothy L. Smith
Timothy Lawrence Smith was a noted historian and educator, known as the first American evangelical historian to gain notability in research and higher education.-Early life and education:...
asserts that this generation believed that "to keep the Spirit in the church, it seemed necessary to keep up the tempo." Among the prominent hymns that Lillenas wrote are:
- He Set Me Free (1909);
- Holiness Forevermore (1910).
- Where They Need No Sun (1911);
- Wonderful Peace (1914);
- Jesus Has Lifted Me (1916) (music only);
- Will the Circle be Broken? (1916);
- The Bible Stands (1917);
- Glorious Freedom (1917);
- Wonderful Grace of Jesus (1918);
- It Is Glory Just To Walk With Him (1918) (music only);
- I Have Settled The Question (1919);
- Tell the Blessèd Story (1920);
- The Peace That Jesus Gives;
- O My Heart Sings Today (1924);
- I Know a Name (1928); and
- There’s a Blessed and Triumphant Song.
- My Wonderful Lord (1938);
In 1958 Lillenas wrote The Sun Never Sets, a song to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the creation of the Church of the Nazarene
Church of the Nazarene
The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
, based on a quotation from early Nazarene founder Phineas Bresee, who often said: "We are in the sunrise of the Nazarene movement and the sun never sets in the morning."
Wonderful Grace of Jesus (1918)
Lillenas' best known song is probably Wonderful Grace of Jesus, which he wrote during his pastorate at the Church of the Nazarene in Auburn, IllinoisAuburn, Illinois
Auburn is a city in Sangamon County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,317 at the 2000 census, and 4,445 in 2009. It is part of the Springfield, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Auburn is located at ....
. Lillenas explains the origin of this gospel song:
In 1917, Mrs. Lillenas and I built our first little home in the town of Olivet, IllinoisOlivet, IllinoisOlivet is a census-designated place in Elwood Township, Vermilion County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, its population was 428.-External links:*...
. Upon its completion, we
had scarcely any money left to furnish the little home. Having no piano at the time, and needing an instrument of some kind, I managed to find, at one of the neighbor’s home, a little wheezy organ which I purchased for $5.00. With the aid of this instrument, a number of my songs, were written which are now popular, including ‘Wonderful Grace of Jesus.’”
Wonderful Grace of Jesus was copyrighted in 1918, but not published until 1922 in the Tabernacle Choir Book. Lillenas was paid $5.00 for this song.
Publisher
In 1924, while still serving as pastor of the Indianapolis First Church of the Nazarene, Lillenas founded the Lillenas Publishing Company. Shares were offered initially for $100 each. The President was E.W. Petticord; the Vice President was Kenneth H. Wells; the Secretary/Treasurer was Fra Morton, while Lillenas was the manager. On 16 October 1925 Lillenas Publishing Company opened the doors to their offices, which were located at 5921 East Washington StreetWashington Street (Indianapolis)
Washington Street is the primary east-west street in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The street follows the route of the National Road for almost all of its length in the city of Indianapolis. For a time, its entire length was designated as U.S...
(at the corner with Arlington Avenue). In 1926 Lillenas resigned as pastor to allow him to devote his energies to the publishing comnpany. Bertha Mae assumed the pastoral responsibilities. Before Lillenas Publishing Company was sold to the Nazarene Publishing House
Nazarene Publishing House
Nazarene Publishing House , the publishing arm of the Church of the Nazarene, is the largest publisher of Wesleyan-Holiness literature in the world. and has been located at 2923 Troost Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri since its foundation in 1912...
in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
in 1930, more than 700,000 hymnals and song books were published and sold. The sale included 1,535 copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
s. The sale agreement mandated that Lillenas would serve as manager of Lillenas Publishing Company for ten years and then be reviewed. However Lillenas continued as an editor until his retirement in 1950, at the age of 65. After his retirement, Lillenas served as an adviser to the Music department of Nazarene Publishing House until his death.
Author
Lillenas was the editor and compiler of over fifty song books for church and Sunday SchoolSunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
. Lillenas' first book was Special Sacred Songs, which was published in 1919. Among his other publications was the first official hymnal for the Church of the Nazarene, Glorious Gospel Songs, published in 1931, soon after Lillenas Publishing Company became part of the Nazarene Publishing House. Glorious Gospel Songs included about 700 hymns and gospel songs, of which 81 were of his own composition.
After his retirement from the Nazarene Publishing House in 1950, Lillenas and his second wife, Lola, travelled extensively, including three trips to his native Norway. During this period Lillenas wrote three books: Modern Gospel Song Stories (1952); an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Down Melody Lane: An Autobiography (1953); and Motoring 11,000 miles Through Norway: A Guide for Tourists with Sixty Suggested Tours (1955), a travel book based on his three trips to Norway.
Awards and honours
In 1941 Olivet Nazarene CollegeOlivet Nazarene University
Olivet Nazarene University is a Christian institution of higher education located in the Kankakee, Illinois village of Bourbonnais. Named for Olivet, Illinois, ONU was originally established as a grammar school in east-central Illinois in 1907...
awarded Lillenas an honorary Doctor of Music
Doctor of Music
The Doctor of Music degree , like other doctorates, is an academic degree of the highest level. The D.Mus. is intended for musicians and composers who wish to combine the highest attainments in their area of specialization with doctoral-level academic study in music...
degree in recognition of his contributions to American hymnody.
In 1982 Lillenas was inducted into the Gospel Music Association
Gospel Music Association
The Gospel Music Association was founded in 1964 for the purpose of supporting and promoting the development of all forms of Gospel music. There are currently about 4,000 members worldwide...
Hall of Fame, in the same class as John T. Benson
John T. Benson
John T. Benson is an American educator and Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin 1993-2001.Born in Mauston, Wisconsin, Benson graduated from Luther College 1960 and received his masters degree from University of Minnesota 1963...
, Sr.; Thomas A. Dorsey
Thomas A. Dorsey
Thomas Andrew Dorsey was known as "the father of black gospel music" and was at one time so closely associated with the field that songs written in the new style were sometimes known as "dorseys." Earlier in his life he was a leading blues pianist known as Georgia Tom.As formulated by Dorsey,...
; Charles H. Gabriel
Charles H. Gabriel
Charles Hutchinson Gabriel was a writer of gospel songs and composer of gospel tunes. He is said to have written and/or composed between 7,000 and 8,000 songs, many of which are available in 21st century hymnals. He used several pseudonyms, including Charlotte G. Homer, H. A. Henry, and S. B...
; Lowell Mason
Lowell Mason
Lowell Mason was a leading figure in American church music, the composer of over 1600 hymn tunes, many of which are often sung today. His most well-known tunes include Mary Had A Little Lamb and the arrangement of Joy to the World...
; B.B. McKinney
Baylus Benjamin McKinney
Baylus Benjamin McKinney or B. B. McKinney was an American singer, song writer, teacher, and music editor.-Early year:...
; and John Newton
John Newton
John Henry Newton was a British sailor and Anglican clergyman. Starting his career on the sea at a young age, he became involved with the slave trade for a few years. After experiencing a religious conversion, he became a minister, hymn-writer, and later a prominent supporter of the abolition of...
.
In the Caravan scouting programme of the Church of the Nazarene, the Haldor Lillenas Award is presented to outstanding fifth and sixth grade children.
Works
- 1929 Raking Leaves and Other Poems. Nazarene Publishing House.
- 1952 Modern Gospel Song Stories. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.
- 1953 Down Melody Lane: An Autobiography. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill.
- 1955 Motoring 11,000 miles Through Norway: A Guide for Tourists with Sixty Suggested Tours. Exposition Press.
Articles
- Herald of Holiness 75th Anniversary edition. (1 October 1983). Includes photograph and biographical materials on Haldor Lillenas.
- McGraw, James. "The Preaching of Haldor Lillenas". The Preacher's Magazine (May 1961):5-8.
- Mund, Fred A. "A Hymnody of the Church of the Nazarene." American Organist 15 (March 1981).
- Pounds, Michael E. “The Beginning Days.” Peniel Herald, Number 5, 1986.
- Smeaton, Donald Dean. "Holiness Hymns and Pentecostal Power: A Theologian Looks at Pentecostal Hymnody". The Hymn 31 (July 1980):183-195.
- Special to the Post-Dispatch [Tuscumbia, Mo] (8 December 1948).
- Tink, Fletcher L. "Haldor Lillenas Music and 'Pump Piano' to be Featured at NTS Chapel". NCN News (21 January 2009).
- Wilhoit, Mel R. "American Holiness Hymnody: Some Questions: A Methodology". Wesleyan Theological Journal 25:2 (1990).
Monographs
- Adams, John L. Musicians' Autobiographies: An Annotated Bibliography of Writings Available in English, 1800 to 1980. McFarland, 1982.
- Cunningham, Elaine. Haldor Lillenas Marvelous Music Maker. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1992.
- Cunningham, Floyd T., ed. Our Watchword & Song: The Centennial History of the Church of the Nazarene. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2009.
- Foote, Henry Wilder. Three Centuries of American Hymnody. Archon Books, 1940, 1968.
- Guthrie, Joseph R. Pentecostal Hymnody: Historical, Theological, and Musical Influences. 1992.
- Ingles, Faith. The Role of Wesleyan Hymnody in the Development of Congregational Song. 1986.
- Kerr, Phillip Stanley. Music in Evangelism: and Stories of Famous Christian Songs. 4th ed. Gospel Music Publishers, 1954.
- Mund, Fred A. A Short History of the Hymnody of the Church of the Nazarene. Kansas City, MO: Lillenas Publishing Company, 1979.
- Panelle, Michael Anthony and Donna Beatrice Brown, comps. Poets-On-Parade, 1938: A Collection of Contemporary American Poetry. Watchtower books, 1939.
- Purkiser, W.T. Called Unto Holiness. Vol 2: The Second Twenty-five Years, 1933-58. Kansas City, MO: Nazarene Publishing House, 1983.
- Ramquist, Grace Bess Chapman. Haldor Lillenas: The Boy with the Singing Heart. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press, 1960.
- Schwanz, Keith. The Birth of a Hymn: Spiritual Biographies of 20 Hymn Writers and the Experiences that Inspired Them. Lillenas.
- Whitsett, Eleanor. A History of the Lillenas Publishing Company and its Relationship to the Music of the Church of the Nazarene. Abstract of a Master of Music thesis presented to the University of Missouri, 1972. Lillenas Publishing Company, 1972.
- Wilson, Mallalieu. William C. Wilson: The Fifth General Superintendent. Kansas City, MO: Nazarene Publishing House, 1995.
- Young, Bill. A Song is Born: The Story of Haldor Lillenas. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press, 1978.
Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
- The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary. 3rd. ed. New York: American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, 1966. (ASCAP 3)
- The Biographical Dictionary of Contemporary Poets: The Who's Who of American Poets. Avon House, 1938.
- Cohen, Aaron I. International Encyclopedia of Women Composers. Vol. 2. 2nd ed. Books & Music USA, 1987.
- Davidson, James Robert. A Dictionary of Protestant Church Music. Scarecrow Press, 1975.
- Directory of American Women Composers. Vol. 1 National Federation of Music Clubs, 1970,
- Ireland, Norma Olin. Index to Women of the World from Ancient to Modern Times. Biographies and portraits. Westwood, MA: F.W. Faxon Co., 1970. (InWom)
- Kostlevy, William and Gari-Anne Patzwald, eds. "Haldor Lillenas". In Historical Dictionary of the Holiness Movement. Scarecrow Press, 2001. (HDoHM)
- McNamara, Daniel Ignatius, ed. The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary of Composers, Authors and Publishers, 2nd. ed. Crowell, 1952.
- Rehrig, William H. The Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music: Composers and their Music. 2 vols. Westerville, OH: Integrity Press, 1991. (HeriEBM)
- Rehrig, William H. The Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music: Composers and their Music. Supplement. Westerville, OH: Integrity Press, 1996. (HeriEBM SUP)
Dissertations, theses and papers
- Hagerty, Beverlee Su Humphreys. "A Tracing of Early Nazarene Holiness Musical Tradition: From the Original Hymns and Translations of John Wesley to the Gospel Songs of Haldor Lillenas". A dissertation presented to Seattle Pacific University, 1989.
- Hubbart, Gary Lee. '"A Study of the Hymnody of the Church of the Nazarene'". University of Southern California, 1977.
- Hughes, Jeannie. "The Lillenas Publishing Company". A paper submitted to Mid-America Nazarene College, 5 April 1996.
- Knight, Donald L. "A Study in the Doctrinal Expression of Nazarene Hymnody". Bethany Nazarene College [Southern Nazarene University], 1967.