From: https://movimentodosirmaos.blogspot.com/p/edward-percy-ellis.html
Edward Percy Ellis was born on October 28, 1879, in Kent, near London, England. The son of Edward Grimley Ellis and Maude Anna Mary Ellis, he was a member of an assembly in England when, in 1907, he came to work for a pharmaceutical representation firm in Bahia. Living in Salvador, he met with fellow believers, among them Gerson Antunes, whom he helped spread the Gospel. Around 1918 and 1919, he moved to Rio de Janeiro where he became a partner in an import and export company with José Fernandes Braga Jr., son of the industrialist José Luiz Fernandes Braga; both were members of the Fluminense Evangelical Church in that city.
In 1921, the brothers who met on Rua Senador Pompeu, Rio de Janeiro, started a fund to purchase a headquarters, and among those responsible for receiving the contributions was Brother Ellis, whose offerings were to be addressed to Rua São Pedro, 138. This shows his close connection with the brothers, even as a member of the Fluminense Evangelical Church.
The fund for the purchase of a headquarters already had twenty-odd contos de réis (the currency of the time) in its coffers when, in 1923, Mr. EP Ellis, having received an inheritance in England, bought the house for 40 contos de réis and donated it to the church, leaving the church free to return the amounts received to the respective donors, or, if it was impossible to do so, to use the unreturned portion to purchase furniture and adapt the house to its new purpose.
When the assembly moved to Rua São Carlos, Mr. Ellis joined the group. He lived with his family for a time in part of this house. Only many years later did God allow the house, adapted for the church's work, to be demolished and the current house at Rua São Carlos, 104, to be built.
Mr. Ellis was used in God's hands as an important instrument for the spiritual progress of the group. He was a leader in the assembly of São Carlos. He had a great spiritual vision, encouraging and leading believers to focus on the Person of the Lord Jesus.
At his initiative, the Sunday School was organized, along with youth programs and the publication of "Lessons for Sunday School," whose magazines are still published and used today by various local churches.
The "Lessons," begun in 1924, initially provided only the lesson title, the study text, and the keynote text; they were only 4 pages long, and the initial print run was 500 copies. In 1927, a short commentary was added. From the last quarter of 1929 onward, a commentary for Primary level children was also included.
He contributed to the authorship and translation of several hymns of the "Hinos e Cânticos" (Hymns and Spiritual Songs): 161, 164, 285, 309, 383, 441, 578, 594, 597, 674, and 723.
Mr. Ellis was a scholar with a vast knowledge of Greek and other languages, and even translated into English the posthumous memoirs of Brás Cubas and some works by Machado de Assis.
His wife, Mrs. Aagot Marie Ellis (née Falkenberg-Smith), was Norwegian and demonstrated a constant desire to see souls won for the Savior. Their son, Olaf Ellis, also greatly contributed to biblical teaching in the Brazilian Church.
Among his published books, the following stand out: "Os Filhos do Reino de Deus" ("The Children of the Kingdom of God"); "Os Súditos do Reino de Deus" ("The Subjects of the Kingdom of God"); "Os Amigos de Jesus Cristo" ("The Friends of Jesus Christ"); "Os Provérbios de Salomão" ("The Proverbs of Solomon"); "Órion - Um Problema" ("Orion - A Problem"); "A Águia - Um retrato" ("The Eagle - A Portrait"); "Éfeso - uma Ilustração" ("Ephesus - An Illustration").
He contributed to the scientific community through his valuable collection of butterflies and moths.
He also excelled in the art of oil painting and watercolors with numerous works.
He went to be with the Lord on May 21, 1963.
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From https://www.stempublishing.com/hymns/biographies/ellis.html
Contributed by Frank Orr of Glasgow
Percy Ellis was born in London and was trained in the chemical business. He went to Brazil in 1907 and worked in this business in Bahia. He moved south to Rio de Janeiro about 1919 and worked closely with a small group of brethren, who were probably the first group of brethren in Rio at that time. Today there are over thirty. He was closely involved with the formation of an assembly in Rua Sao Carlos, which, from those pioneering days, is still very active today.
E.P. Ellis was a most interesting gentleman who had many and diverse interests, including entomology and painting. His collection of moths and butterflies is comprehensive and of scientific value and his paintings in water colours and oils are exhilarating, showing great gift.
His chief joy was in serving the Lord in as many ways as possible and his gift of hymn-writing has been handed down to us in hymn no. 36 "Saviour unto Thee assembling, Turn we now to praise". There are eleven of his hymns in use in assemblies in Brazil today.
Together with his father, Grimsby, Percy was directly involved in the creation of a Portuguese Concordance, although his surviving daughter, Raghild, has stated that their names do not appear in the credits. This work is the more remarkable in that Grimsby Ellis was not a Portuguese speaker. In addition, (while still living in Brazil), the family was closely involved in missionary work in Portugal.
His mother's brother was Mr. James Fegan, who started Fegan's Homes, a work with which daughter Ingeborg, her husband (the late Arthur Lewis) and latterly his grand-daughter, Helen Dobbin, have been actively engaged.
Mrs. Ellis was Norwegian, a fearless, gracious and godly woman, who was much used of the Lord in many ways and whose constant desire was to see souls won for the Saviour.
Their only son, Olaf, married Elizabeth Orr, Kilkeel, and spent the post-war years from 1954 as a 'tent-maker' in Brazil until his home-call a few years ago. He, too, had a godly zeal which was much used in Brazil, and he, like his father, was largely responsible for the building and establishment of an active assembly in another part of the vast city of Rio. How humbling and challenging it is to us in 1997 to learn of the active testimony of one family exercised in the Lord's service for over a century. (Acts 16:31).
The hymn no. 36 in 'Spiritual Songs' was and is a great favourite in the 1903 and 1978 edition of the Little Flock Hymn Book. It is often used at the beginning of the remembrance of the Lord Jesus as saints gather to His Name to break bread.
