George Duffield

George Duffield Jr. (1818–1888) was a prominent American Presbyterian clergyman and hymn writer whose work was deeply intertwined with the social and spiritual upheavals of the 19th century. Born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, into a family of distinguished ministers, he was educated at Yale College and Union Theological Seminary. His career was marked by a series of successful pastorates across the Northeast and Midwest, including significant tenures in Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and throughout Michigan.

Duffield’s most enduring contribution to the world is the martial and stirring hymn "Stand up, stand up for Jesus." The hymn was born out of a tragic event that shook the religious community of Philadelphia in 1858. Duffield’s close friend, the Rev. Dudley Atkins Tyng, was a young, charismatic Episcopal priest who had been a vocal opponent of slavery. Following a freak farming accident that resulted in the loss of his arm and ultimately his life, Tyng’s final message to his brethren was: "Tell them to stand up for Jesus."

Inspired by these dying words, Duffield preached a sermon the following Sunday on Ephesians 6:14 ("Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth...") and concluded by reading the verses of this now-famous hymn. Initially printed as a small handbill for Sunday School children, the hymn’s call to "put on the gospel armor" and engage in spiritual warfare resonated deeply during the "pro-slavery days" and the approaching American Civil War.

While "Stand up, stand up for Jesus" overshadowed much of his other work, Duffield was a capable and sensitive poet. His other hymns, often dealing with family and personal devotion, include:

• "Blessed Saviour, Thee I love": A hymn of personal devotion to Christ published in 1851.

• "Slowly in sadness and in tears": A somber and reflective burial hymn.

• "Parted for some anxious days": A unique "family hymn" focusing on the trials of separation.

Duffield remained an active and influential figure in the Presbyterian Church until his death in Lansing, Michigan, in 1888. He is remembered as a man who could capture the "inspiration of the moment" and turn it into a lasting anthem for the Christian faith, blending the urgency of social justice with a steadfast commitment to evangelical truth.