Dudley A. Tyng (1825–1858)

Dudley Tyng was a Philadelphia evangelist known for plain preaching, tender urgency, and a fearless call to decision. Serving in the city’s crowded neighborhoods and public halls, he pressed the claims of Christ on the conscience, urging men to confess the Lord openly rather than keep faith private and safe. Only days before his death he preached with striking clarity, reportedly saying he would rather lose his right arm than fail to proclaim the gospel. His ministry reflected the apostolic charge: “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2).

The Farm Accident and Final Charge

On April 19, 1858, Tyng died after several days of agony following a farm accident in which a mechanical corn sheller caught and mangled his arm, leading to amputation. The suddenness of the injury exposed the frailty of the body, yet also the strength of a settled faith. As death neared, he called for his father and fellow ministers, and with fading breath gave a final charge: “Stand up for Jesus.” In that bedside moment, courage was not bravado but obedience—an unashamed readiness to suffer loss rather than surrender witness. His dying words echoed Scripture’s summons: “Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).

From a Deathbed to a Hymn

Tyng’s final appeal quickly spread through Philadelphia’s evangelical circles. George Duffield Jr., a minister who had heard of the charge, shaped it into the hymn “Stand up, Stand up for Jesus,” giving the church a singable banner for steadfast discipleship. The hymn’s call to public loyalty—against fear, compromise, and spiritual sloth—captured what Tyng’s life displayed: the gospel is worth more than comfort, reputation, or even health. His story continues to summon believers to courageous, visible faithfulness: to speak of Christ clearly, to stand when it costs, and to finish well.