Tillit Sidney Teddlie (June 3, 1885 – August 17, 1987) was a

singing school A singing school is a school in which students are taught to sightread vocal music. Singing schools are a long-standing cultural institution in the Southern United States. While some singing schools are offered for credit, most are informal program ...

teacher, composer, publisher, and minister of the Church of Christ. Teddlie was born June 3, 1885, at Swan, Texas ( Smith County), the son of Theodore and Sarah Ann (Porter) Teddlie. In 1903, he was baptized into Christ, and also taught his first shape note

, which lasted for two weeks. He composed his first song in 1906. During his lifetime, Teddlie taught singing schools for 61 years, composed 130 songs, published 14 song books, and served as a full-time evangelist, including preaching for the Johnson Street Church of Christ (1945–1951) and Central Church of Christ in

Greenville, Texas Greenville is a city in Hunt County, Texas, United States, about northeast of Dallas. It is the county seat and largest city of Hunt County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,557, and in 2019, its estimated population was 28,827. ...

, and Churches of Christ in Ennis,

Sulphur Springs Mineral springs are naturally occurring springs that produces hard water, water that contains dissolved minerals. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the spring water during its passage under ...

, Lone Oak and Quinlan.

Personal life and death

Tillit S. Teddlie married Edna Webb (1880-1959). They had one son, Pete. Teddlie died on August 17, 1987 in

Gunter, Texas Gunter is a city in the southwestern corner of Grayson County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,060 at the 2020 census, up from 1,498 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Sherman–Denison metropolitan area. History Gunter was found ...

, aged 102. He is buried in the Forest Park Cemetery at

. Upon his grave stone is inscribed the title of one of his most popular hymns - "Heaven Holds All To Me".

Titles of some of Teddlie's songs

*A Joyful Song *Be Not Anxious *Cast All Your Burdens on The Lord *Don't Wait Too Long *God Sent His Own Son *Hear Me When I Call *Heaven Holds All To Me *I Remember Jesus *In Heaven They're Singing *In The Service of My King *May This My Glory Be *O God of Infinite Mercy *O the Depth and the Riches *Oft We Come Together, "True Worship" *Round the Hills in Galilee *Safe In The Harbor *Singing Redemption's Song *Songs of Salvation *Swiftly We're Turning *The Master's Touch *Thou Wilt Keep Him *Time Enough Yet *We Shall Meet Someday *What Will Your Answer Be? *When We Meet In Sweet Communion, "The Lord's Supper" *Worthy Art Thou *You Can Lead Someone To Jesus

Heaven Holds All to Me

Teddlie was a member of and ministered in the churches of Christ, but many of his songs reached popular circulation among Christians of the denominations, especially through the

Stamps-Baxter Music Company The Stamps-Baxter Music Company was an influential publishing company in the shape note Southern gospel music field. The company issued several paperback publications each year with cheap binding and printed on cheap paper. Thus, the older books ...

. Two of his best known are "What Will Your Answer Be?" (1935) and "Heaven Holds All to Me" (1932).

External links

Tillit S. Teddlie
- from Cyber Hymnal

* 1885 births 1987 deaths American centenarians Men centenarians People from Tyler, Texas People from Smith County, Texas Christian hymnwriters American Christian hymnwriters Ministers of the Churches of Christ American members of the Churches of Christ Shape note 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers {{singer-songwriter-stub