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Walter Smith

Birth: December 5, 1824, Aberdeen, Scotland
Death: September 19, 1908, Kinbuck, Dunblane, Perthshire, Scotland

Walter Chalmers Smith, who wrote "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise", was born in Scotland and attended Marischal College at the University of Aberdeen and New College, Edinburgh. He was ordained on Christmas Day, 1850 as pastor of the Chadwell Street Scottish Church, Pentonville, Islington, London. He also served as rector at the Orwell Free Church, Milnathort, the Free Tron church, Glasgow, the Roxburgh Free Church, Edinburgh and the Free High Church Edinburgh. In 1893, the Free Church of Scotland elected him moderator during its Jubilee year.

Smith wrote many poems and hymns. To him, poetry was "the retreat of his nature from the burden of his labours." It allowed him to say what he could not fully express in the pulpit. His poetry was published in six volumes entitled Poetical Works (1902). His hymns have been described as "rich in thought and vigorous in expression." His hymn texts were published in Hymns of Christ and the Christian Life (1886).