Edmund Sears
Edmund Hamilton Sears (April 6, 1810 – January 14, 1876) was an influential American Unitarian parish minister and author, known primarily for his contributions to 19th-century liberal Protestant theology and hymnody. Born in Sandisfield, Massachusetts, Sears pursued higher education at Union College in Schenectady, New York, and later attended Harvard Divinity School, graduating in 1837. He served in various Unitarian congregations, including those in Wayland, Lancaster, and Weston, Massachusetts.
Sears is best remembered as the lyricist of the Christmas carol "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear," written in 1849 during his tenure as a part-time minister in Wayland. The hymn, initially a reflection on his contemporary times, has become a beloved carol, set to music by Richard Storrs Willis and adapted by Arthur Sullivan.
In addition to his hymn writing, Sears authored several theological works, including "Regeneration" (1854), "Pictures of the Olden Time" (1857), "Athanasia, or Foregleams of Immortality" (1857), and "The Fourth Gospel, the Heart of Christ" (1872). He also co-edited The Monthly Religious Magazine for twelve years.
A proponent of social justice, Sears preached the equality of women and men and vocally opposed slavery. Following the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law, he publicly declared the primacy of divine law over human law when the two were in conflict. His sermon condemning slavery, delivered in 1856, was widely circulated by Massachusetts abolitionists.
Sears passed away on January 14, 1876, in Weston, Massachusetts, leaving behind a legacy of theological and social influence through his writings and hymns.
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