Issachar Bates (1758-1837) was the most prominent composer of music for the Shakers,^[1] best-known for "Come Life, Shaker Life", which he wrote in 1835.^[2]

Bates was born in Hingham, Massachusetts on January 29, 1758, he moved to the Shaker community in Watervliet, New York in 1803.^[3]

In 1805, he left from New Lebanon, New York for an extended trip with two other Shaker missionaries, John Meacham and Benjamin S. Youngs. Their travels took them to Kentucky and Ohio where the camp meeting revivals had taken place. Bates was the musician who sang at the first official Shaker meeting in the West at Turtle Creek, Ohio on May 23, 1805.

Before he joined the Shakers in 1801, Bates had served in the American Revolution as a young fifer and had learned many of the tunes of that time. He used one of these tunes in his early Shaker hymn, "Rights of Conscience." This long ballad hymn of fifteen verses pays tribute to both George Washington and Mother Ann Lee. Bates based his hymn on the popular tune of Washington's time, titled "The President's March."

Later on Bates became a prominent Shaker church leader, serving mainly at Watervliet, Ohio. He wrote many Shaker spirituals, including an anthem, "Mount Zion," and the hymn, "Ode to Contentment," with words by Elder Richard Pelham from the Shaker community at North Union, Ohio.

Bates returned to New Lebanon, New York in 1835 and the following year completed his lively and informative autobiography. He remained at New Lebanon until his death on March 17, 1837. As per his request, "Almighty Savior," a hymn which he had composed, was sung at his funeral.^[4]

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