sides as we left the barracks. I shall go; but I shall not find my Scottish laddie, for by to-morrow's reveille he will have crossed the river." Beautiful Valley of Eden Words by the Rev. W. O. Cushing Music by William F. Sherwin "Beautiful valley of Eden! Sweet is thy noon-tide calm." "One day in 1875 I was reaching up for a blessing," says the author of these words, "when suddenly there came down upon my heart a vision of the heavenly country. I seemed to look down upon a river that like a mighty tide rolled beneath me. Across, on the other side of this river, I saw an enchanted land; its hills and valleys were sleeping in a heavenly calm. It was more beautiful than words can tell, and my heart seemed to be there. As I gazed on the scene, there came to my lips the words, 'Beautiful valley of Eden.' The vision remained until I had written down the hymn; then it gradually faded from my sight. But I want to say that the beauty of the hymn is largely due to Mr. Sherwin, who, by his rich melody, has reached a deeper chord than any mere words could ever have reached." Words by E. P. Stites Beulah Land Music by John R. Sweney "I've reached the land of corn and wine, And all its riches freely mine." First sung at Ocean Grove, New Jersey, at a great gathering of Methodists, this hymn at once became very popular. It has been sung in every land where the name of Christ is known. The secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association at Plymouth, England, wrote me a beautiful story of a young lady, who sang it on her dying bed as she passed into the land that is fairer than day. I sang this favorite song over the dead body of my friend, Mr. Sweney, at the church of which he was a leading member, in West Chester, Pennsylvania, on the day of his burial. Blessed Assurance Words by Fanny J. Crosby Music by Mrs. Joseph F. Knapp "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O, what a foretaste of glory divine!" "During the recent war in the Transvaal," said a gentleman at my meeting in Exeter Hall, London, in 1900," when the soldiers going to the front were passing another body of soldiers whom they recognized, their greetings used to be,' Four-nine-four, boys; fournine-four;' and the salute would invariably be answered with Six further on, boys; six further on.' The significance of this was that, in Sacred Songs and Solos,' a number of copies of the small edition of which had been sent to the front, number 494 was, 'God be with you till we meet again;' and six further on than 494, or number 500, was 'Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine.'" 6 One of the most popular and useful of the "Gospel Hymns," this was sung by a large delegation of Christian Endeavorers on the train to Minneapolis, some years ago. And it was often sung at night as the street-cars were crowded with passengers on their way to the Convention Hall, greatly to the delight of the people of that city. Blest be the Tie that Binds Words by the Rev. John Fawcett "Blest be the tie that binds Music by H. G. Nageli Our hearts in Christian love." Dr. John Fawcett was the pastor of a small church at Wainsgate, and was called from there to a larger church in London in 1772. He accepted the call and preached his farewell sermon. The wagons were loaded with his books and furniture, and all was ready for the departure, when his parishioners gathered around him, and with tears in their eyes begged of him to stay. His wife said, "Oh, John, John, I cannot bear this." "Neither can I," exclaimed the good parson," and we will not go. Unload the wagons and put everything as it was before." His decision was hailed with great joy by his people, and he wrote the words of this hymn in commemoration of the event. This song, and "God be with you till we meet again," are the most useful farewell hymns in the world. Mr. Moody used to tell of a Sunday-school teacher, to whom he had given a class of girls, who one day came to Mr. Moody's store much disheartened. He had suffered from hemorrhage of the lungs, and his doctor had ordered him to leave Chicago. He was sad because he felt that he had not made a true effort to save his class. At Mr. Moody's proposal that they go to visit each of the class members, they took a carriage and at once began the work, the young man in his feebleness saying what he could to each. At a farewell meeting where they were all gathered, they endeavored to sing "Blest be the tie that binds," but their hearts were full and their voices failed. Every member of the class yielded her heart to God. Words by P. P. Bliss Calling Now Music by P. P. Bliss "This loving Saviour stands patiently; Tho' oft rejected, calls again for thee." A song somewhat similar to this I remember singing as a solo in Mr. Moody's Tabernacle in Chicago at the close of an evangelistic meeting in 1872. Mr. Bliss came in late and stood just inside the door, listening. At the close of the meeting he came up to the platform and spoke enthusiastically about the piece, and remarked that he also would try to write a hymn on "The Prodigal." Not long afterward I heard him sing this beautiful hymn, which he himself entitled "Calling Now." It has been especially useful in inquiry-meetings and at the close of evangelistic addresses. I have often heard it sung with great effect— very softly by a choir, while the workers were speaking to the anxious ones—and its soft, sweet, pleading tones were always blessed to the hearers. Words by Mrs. James G. Johnson 66 "Come" Music by James McGranahan O word of words the sweetest, O word, in which there lie-" As these words were sung at one of our meetings in Baltimore, a man arose and left the building, declaring that he had never heard such twaddle in all his life. When he reached home he tore the hymn out of his hymn-book and threw it into the fire; but he said afterward that the words still rang in his heart and that he could not get rid of them. At last he came to Mr. Moody and said: "I am a vile sinner, and I want you to tell me how I can come to Jesus and be saved." Moody was enabled to lead him into the light, and the man afterward declared that this was the sweetest hymn in all the book. Come Believing Words by D. W. Whittle (“El. Nathan") Music by James McGranahan Once again the Gospel message From the Saviour you have heard." A lawyer from the West sank so low as to become a tramp in the streets of New York. He was fiftyfour years old and a homeless, penniless wretch. As he stumbled by the Florence Mission one night the windows were open and he stopped a moment to listen to the singing. They sang: "Once again the Gospel message Will you turn and seek the Lord?" |