William Gadsby was a hymnwriter and Baptist pastor.

For 38 years Gadsby was pastor of the Strict Baptist

Strict Baptist

Strict Baptists, also known as Particular Baptists, are Baptists who believe in a Calvinist or Reformed interpretation of Christian soteriology. The Particular Baptists arose in England in the 17th century and took their namesake from the doctrine of particular redemption.-Further reading:*History...

 church at Manchester

Manchester

Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...

 and a well-known minister in his day. He travelled over 60,000 miles, many of them on foot and preached nearly 12,000 sermons. He was influential in establishing 40 new places of worship.

He compiled a selection of hymns including many of his own composition and the whole collection of hymns by Joseph Hart

Joseph Hart

Joseph Hart was an 18th-century Calvinist minister in London. His works include "Hart's Hymns", a much-loved hymn book amongst evangelical Christians throughout its lifetime of over 200 years, which includes the well-known hymn, "Come ye sinners, poor and needy".One of Joseph Hart's early...

, and published them in a hymnbook, A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship

A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship

A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship is a hymn book compiled by William Gadsby, a minister of the Gospel Standard Strict Baptists in England. First published in the 19th century, it is still in current use.-History:...

 (or Gadsby's Hymns), which is still used by congregations today. His best known hymn being 'Immortal Honours'.

With his son John, he launched in 1835 the Gospel Standard

Gospel Standard

The Gospel Standard is a Strict Baptist magazine first published in 1835 by John Gadsby. The current editor is Benjamin Ashworth Ramsbottom....

 magazine and was its first editor.

John also commenced another magazine called the Friendly Companion which he originated in 1857 and is still in circulation.

A number of William Gadsby's sermons are extant.