Walter Chalmers Smith was born in Aberdeen, Scotland on 5 Dec 1824 to parents Walter Smith and Barbara Milne. He was educated at Marischal College at the University of Aberdeen and ordained pastor of the Chadwell Streen Scottish Church, Pentonville, Islington, London, on Christmas Day, 1850. He was a distinguished preacher and a man of catholic sympathies.

At the time of the Disruption of 1843 within the Church of Scotland, as a divinity student, he marched down the Mound following Dr. Thomas Chalmers. He later became a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. In 1893 he was elected Moderator of the Free Church.

He was also a prolific poet and hymnist; many of his poems were published in 1903 in a book entitled "The Poetical Works of Walter C. Smith D.D. LL. D", which included the poem for which he is most well-known, "Hilda of the broken Gods." He also wrote the popular modern-day hymn "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise."

Walter married Agnes Monteith in 1855 and had four children: Agnes Monteith Smith (1857-??), Mary Barbara Monteith Smith (1860-1946), Rebecca Monteith smith (1862-1941), and James Robert Earle Monteith (1865-??). When he retired from the ministry in 1894, Walter lived near Dunblane, Perthshire until his death on 19 Sept 1908.

Walter Chalmers Smith was born in Aberdeen, Scotland on 5 Dec 1824 to parents Walter Smith and Barbara Milne. He was educated at Marischal College at the University of Aberdeen and ordained pastor of the Chadwell Streen Scottish Church, Pentonville, Islington, London, on Christmas Day, 1850. He was a distinguished preacher and a man of catholic sympathies.

At the time of the Disruption of 1843 within the Church of Scotland, as a divinity student, he marched down the Mound following Dr. Thomas Chalmers. He later became a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. In 1893 he was elected Moderator of the Free Church.

He was also a prolific poet and hymnist; many of his poems were published in 1903 in a book entitled "The Poetical Works of Walter C. Smith D.D. LL. D", which included the poem for which he is most well-known, "Hilda of the broken Gods." He also wrote the popular modern-day hymn "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise."

Walter married Agnes Monteith in 1855 and had four children: Agnes Monteith Smith (1857-??), Mary Barbara Monteith Smith (1860-1946), Rebecca Monteith smith (1862-1941), and James Robert Earle Monteith (1865-??). When he retired from the ministry in 1894, Walter lived near Dunblane, Perthshire until his death on 19 Sept 1908.