Caesar Malan

MALAN, (Henri Abraham) Caesar (César). b. Geneva, Switzerland, 7 July 1787; d. Vandoeuvres, Switzerland, 18 May 1864. Descended from Waldensians (see Waldensian hymnody*), Malan’s family originally settled at Mérindol in Provence, but were dispersed owing to religious persecution in 1714. Educated in Geneva, Malan was at first pastor in the National Church of Geneva and in accord with its near-Unitarian character. Around 1820, he became pastor of a separatist group in Geneva. Malan was a founder of a movement for better hymns in the French Reformed Church. His first hymns were published in 1823 (although his son writes that he had made earlier attempts in 1821). These hymns were originally...