wanted only to think of the safe-keeping, and such, thank God, it proved to be." Edmeston, a voluminous hymn-writer, was an architect by profession, and a member of the Established Church at Homerton, England, where he resided. The theme of this hymn was suggested to him by a sentence in a volume of Abyssinian travels"At night their short evening hymn, 'Jesus Forgive Us,' stole through the camp." Though first appearing in the author's "Sacred Lyrics" in 1820, and to be found in the older church hymnals, it had no special prominence until Mr. Stebbins' setting became known. Since then it has come into general use, and has been adopted by many of the church hymnals. The music was written in 1876, for the choir of Tremont Temple, Boston, of which Mr. Stebbins was then the director. Published two years later in "Gospel Hymns Number 3," it became a favorite at once with the great choirs of our meetings and with other evangelistic choirs, and has since then been used wherever the "Gospel Hymns" are sung, even in the remote places of the earth. Words by Mrs. Elizabeth Codner Even Me Music by William B. Bradbury "Lord, I hear of showers of blessing Thou art scattering full and free." A gentleman in England sends this incident: "A poor woman, in a dark village, attended a High Church mission, where the good Gospel hymn, 'Even Me' was sung from a printed leaflet. A few days after ward the old woman became seriously ill, and soon she died. But she seemed to have taken in all the Gospel through this hymn, and to the last repeated with reverence and joy Even me, even me,' not remembering one word of the sermon that she heard at the mission. This was in 1877. Soon after we had an evangelistic meeting in the same village, in a barn three hundred years old, where this hymn was sung with great effect." Words by W. O. Cushing Follow On Music by Robert Lowry "Down in the valley with my Saviour I would go Where the flowers are blooming and the sweet waters flow." 66 "I wrote this hymn in 1878," the Rev. W. O. Cushing tells me. Longing to give up all for Christ who had given his life for me, I wanted to be willing to lay everything at his feet, with no wish but to do his will, to live henceforth only for his glory. Out of this feeling came the hymn, 'Follow On.' It was written with the prayer and the hope that some heart might by it be led to give up all for Christ. Much of the power and usefulness of the hymn, however, are due to Mr. Lowry, who put it into song." Go Bury Thy Sorrow Words by Mary A. Bachelor "Go bury thy sorrow, The world hath its share." Music by P. P. Bliss For many years this hymn was one of my favorite solos. In its original form it read, " Bury thy sorrow, hide it with care;" but when Mr. Bliss found it in a newspaper he arranged it to read, "Go bury thy sorrow, the world hath its share," and set it to music. It has been blessed to thousands of people, and will remain as one of his best productions when many of his other songs are forgotten. The author of the hymn was the daughter of a minister. When she wrote these lines she was living with her brother, whom she greatly loved. He also was a minister, and had the usual cares and burdens to carry that are incident to a pastor's life. To him she confided all her joys and sorrows. One day, after having disclosed to him some peculiar trial which she was enduring, she was reproached by her conscience for having needlessly added to his already numerous cares. She stood by the open window, and saw the long, heavy shadows cast by the tall poplar trees across the lawn, and the thought came to her: "That is just what I have done to my brother! Why did I do it? Why did I not rather bury my own sorrow, and allow only words of cheer and brightness to reach his ears?" With such thoughts in her mind, and with tears of regret filling her eyes, she retired to her little attic bedroom, and there wrote the hymn that has been so blessed. A lady who had suffered much, and had passed through many great trials, set much store by this hymn. One day as she sang it her little daughter, who was playing in the room, looked up into her mother's face and saw tears rolling down her cheeks. The child called out: "Mamma, are you digging the sorrows all up again?" God Be With You Words by J. E. Rankin, D.D. Music by W. G. Tomer "God be with you till we meet again; By His counsels guide, uphold you." The late Dr. Rankin, president of Howard University, Washington, D. C., said regarding this oftused parting hymn: "Written in 1882 as a Christian good-bye, it was called forth by no person or occasion, but was deliberately composed as a Christian hymn on the basis of the etymology of 'good-bye,' which is 'God be with you.' The first stanza was written and sent to two composers-one of unusual note, the other wholly unknown and not thoroughly educated in music. I selected the composition of the latter, submitted it to J. W. Bischoff—the musical director of a little book we were preparing-who approved of it, but made some criticisms, which were adopted. It was sung for the first time one evening in the First Congregational Church in Washington, of which I was then the pastor and Mr. Bischoff the organist. I attributed its popularity in no little part to the music to which it was set. It was a wedding of words and music, at which it was my function to preside; but Mr. Tomer should have his full share of the family honor." William Gould Tomer, the author of the music, is of German ancestry. He has been a school teacher, a soldier in the civil war, and a clerk in the Treasury department. He was teaching school in 1882 when he wrote the music of " God be with you." Words by P. P. Bliss Hallelujah, 'tis Done! Music by P. P. Bliss ""Tis the promise of God full salvation to give, A minister from England, in telling of a certain meeting, says: " Among the converts was a man somewhat advanced in years, who was very anxious about the salvation of his wife, and expressed a wish that I should visit her. I did so repeatedly, and explained to her in very simple words the plan of salvation, but she could not comprehend the meaning of my message. Every time I left, however, she would express a strong desire that I return. One day I went in just before dinner, and talked to her about Jesus, but no light seemed to dawn upon her mind. Then the thought struck me to sing something to her, and so I commenced, "Tis the promise of God, full salvation to give.' When I was through the chorus, she exclaimed, 'Sing it over again.' I did so, time after time, and when I asked her to assist me, she joined in very heartily. The light dawned on her dark mind while we were singing, the big burden of sin was removed from her heart, and her face was lighted up with holy joy as she exclaimed, 'Hallelujah, 'tis done! I do believe in the Son; I am saved.' Just then her husband walked in for his dinner, and she shouted out to him, 'Ah, lad! I've got it! Hallelujah! 'tis done!' |