Biography
He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 16, 1796, into a distinguished and patriotic family. He was a great-grandson of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg (1711–1787), "father of Lutheranism in America," and grandson of Frederick Muhlenberg (1750–1801), who was a member of the First and Second Continental Congresses and Speaker of the House of Representatives. Muhlenberg was prepared at the Philadelphia Academy and the Grammar School of the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1815. In 1817, he was ordained a deacon in the Protestant Episcopal Church, and became assistant to Bishop William White (1748–1836) in the rectorship of Christ Church and St. Peters, and later at St. James', Philadelphia. During these years he was also very much influenced by his older friend and priestly companion Jackson Kemper (1789–1870), who became the first Missionary Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1835.
In 1820 he was ordained priest and until 1826 was rector of St. James' Church, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Largely owing to his efforts, Lancaster was the second public school district created in the state. His interest in church music and hymnody prompted his pamphlet of 1821, A Plea for Christian Hymns; he drew up for the use of his own parish a collection of Church Poetry (1823); and in 1823 be was appointed by the General Convention a member of the committee on psalms and hymns, whose collection, approved in 1826, contained several of Muhlenberg's own compositions, including I would not live alway, Shout the glad tidings, and Saviour, who thy flock art feeding.
Read more about this topic: William Augustus Muhlenberg
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