Laufer at­tend­ed Frank­lin and Mar­shal Coll­ege (BA 1897, MA 1900) and Un­ion The­o­lo­gic­al Sem­in­ary (1900). Af­ter or­din­a­tion as a Pres­by­ter­i­an min­is­ter, he pas­tored at the Stein­way Re­formed Church, Long Is­land Ci­ty, New York (1900-1905) and the First Pres­by­ter­i­an Church, Ho­bo­ken, New Jer­sey (1905-1915). He then served as a field rep­re­sent­a­tive for the Pres­by­ter­i­an Board of Pub­li­ca­tion and Sun­day School Work (1914-1924), and the Pres­by­ter­i­an Board of Christ­ian Ed­u­ca­tion (1925-1938). He helped ed­it the Pres­by­ter­ia­n Hymn­al of 1933 and the Hand­book to the Hymn­al, 1935. His other works in­clude:

• Keynotes of Optimism, 1911
• The Incomparable Christ, 1914
• The Bi­ble—Story and Content, 1924
• Junior Church School Hymn­al, 1927
• Songs for Men, 1928
• The Church School Hymn­al for Youth, 1928
• Primary Wor­ship and Mu­sic, 1930
• Hymn Lore (Philadelphia, Penn­syl­van­ia: The West­min­ster Press, 1932)
• When the Little Child Wants to Sing, 1935

Sources

Hymns

1. Ho­ly Father, Bless Us
2. Holy Father, God of Might (© 1928)
3. Like Thee, Dear Master, Help Us Feel (© 1927)
4. My Life, Dear Lord, I Give to Thee
5. O Magnify the Lord with Me
6. O Mas­ter of the Loving Heart (© 1927)
7. O Thou Eternal Christ of God
8. Our Hearts, Dear Lord, Are in the Hills (© 1925)
9. We Thank Thee, Lord, Thy Paths of Service Lead
10. When Comes the Golden Sunset

Music

1. Armentrout
2. Evening Light
3. Field
4. Hall
5. Littlefield
6. Magnify