HOW, WILLIAM WALSHAM: Church of England, bishop of Wakefield; b. at Shrewsbury (38 m. s. of Chester), Shropshire, Dec. 13, 1823; d. in the west of Ireland Aug. 10, 1897. He was educated at Wadham College, Oxford (B.A., 1845), and was ordered deacon in 1846 and ordained priest in the following year. He was successively curate of St. George's, Kidderminster (1846-48), and of Holy Cross, Shrewsbury (1848-49), and rector of Whittington (1851-79). He was likewise diocesan inspector of schools in 1852-70, rural dean of Oswestry in 1853-79, prebendary of Llanfynydd and chancellor of St. Asaph's Cathedral in 1859-88, select preacher at Oxford in 1868-69, proctor of the diocese of St. Asaph in 1869-79, and examining chaplain to the bishop of Lichfield in 1878-79. After having declined no less than five bishoprics, a canonry, and three important livings, he accepted the suffragan see of Bedford, with episcopal supervision of East London, and was consecrated in 1879, drawing his income from the rectorate of St. Andrew Undershaft and St. Mary Axe, and from the prebend of Brondesbury in St. Paul's Cathedral, all of which he held from 1879 to 1888. In the latter year he was translated to the newly created see of Wakefield. While in East London he took a keen interest in the spiritual upbuilding of his diocese and founded the East London Church Fund, for which he raised large sums. Among his numerous writings special mention may be made of his Daily Family Prayers for Churchmen (London, 1852); Plain Words (4 series, 1859-80); Psalm li.: A Course of Seven Lenten Lectures (1861); Twenty-four Practical Sermons (1861); Commentary on the Four Gospels (4 vols., 1863-68); Pastor in Parochia (1868); Manual for the Holy Communion (1868); Private Life and Ministrations of a Parish Priest (1873); The Revision of the Rubrics (1878); Holy Communion Companion (1882); Lectures on Pastoral Work (1883); Notes on the Church Service (1884); Words of Good Cheer (1885); Knowledge of God, and Other Sermons (1892); and The Closed Door: Instructions and Meditations given at Retreats and Quiet Days (1898). Bishop How was also an excellent writer of hymns, and besides revising Mrs. C. Brock's Children's Hymn Book (London, 1881), assisted T. B. Morrell in preparing Psalms and Hymns (London, 1854), and was one of the compilers of Church Hymns (1871). His own hymns are collected in his Poems and Hymns (London, 1886). Among them some of the best-known are "O Jesu, Thou art standing;" "For all the Saints who from their labours rest;" "We give Thee but Thine own;" "Lord, Thy children guide and keep;" "O Holy Lord, content to live;" "O Word of God Incarnate;" "Who is this so weak and helpless?" and "Before Thine awful presence, Lord."

BIBLIOGRAPHY: F. D. How, Bishop Walsham How: A Memoir (London, 1898); B. W. Duffield, English Hymns, p. 442, New York, 1886; Julian, Hymnology, p. 540; DNB, supplement, iii. 1-2.