Born in Fall River, Massachusetts, Mary Bridges Canedy Slade (1826–1882) was a teacher and musical composer. She also served as the assistant editor of the New England Journal of Education and, later, as founding editor of Wide Awake. Her husband was a minister. While she is best known for the lyrics to “Soldiers’ Memorial Day” (1870), the music for which was composed by William O. Perkins, she also wrote the lyrics to over one hundred hymns, including “Sweetly, Lord, Have We Heard Thee Calling,” “Up to the Bountiful Giver of Life,” “Who at My Door Is Standing?” and “Beyond This Land of Parting.”