in Buffalo, as he lay dying by the hand of an assassin, the martyred President was heard singing faintly, "Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee; E'en though it be a cross That raiseth me! Still all my song shall be Nearer, my God, to Thee, And thus passed away one of the noblest men of our age. On the day of his funeral, at Canton, Ohio, all trains, trolley cars and nearly all machinery in the United States were stopped for five minutes, and "Nearer, my God, to Thee" was sung in nearly every church in the land. Bishop Marvin, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was traveling during the Civil War in the wilds of Arkansas. He was feeling much depressed, for the Union troops had driven him from his home. As he approached a dilapidated old log cabin he heard some one singing, "Nearer, my God, to Thee." He alighted and entered the house. There he found a poor woman, widowed and old, who was singing in the midst of such poverty as he had never seen before. His despondency vanished and he went on his way happy and trustful, because of the faith which he had seen and the hymn which he had heard. A little drummer boy was found, after the battle of Fort Donelson, by one who visited the field. The poor lad had lost an arm, which had been carried away by a cannon ball, but even as he lay there dying he was singing, "Nearer, my God, to Thee." Words by W. O. Cushing No Hope in Jesus Music by Robert Lowry "Oh, to have no Christ, no Saviour! No Rock, no Refuge nigh!" From the "Rescue Mission," of Syracuse, New York, comes this incident. 66 One of the workers at the Rescue Mission sat at the window sewing. She is not a grand singer, in fact, scarcely ever sings in the meeting; but alone by herself she sings the Gospel songs. She was singing: 'Oh, to have no Christ, no Saviour. When she had finished she heard some one calling, and saw two girls looking over a neighboring fence. One said: 'Won't you please sing that again?' "I am afraid some of us would have begun to make excuse, and say we were not singers. But this soul sang it over again, praying God to bless the song, and then went to talk with them. She recognized them as inmates of a house of evil resort, and asked permission to call on them. They would not grant this, but the next day one came to the mission and threw herself, weeping, into the arms of the singer, saying: 'I have been so unhappy since I heard you sing! You remind me of my mother and the days when I was innocent and good. I had a good home, but quarreled with my mother, ran away and got into a life of sin; I am tired of it, won't you pray for me?' They had prayer, and the poor wandering one was led to the Saviour. She said: 'I'll never go back to that place again. I'm going to the poor-master and ask him to send me home.' "The worker furnished the money to pay her fare to her home in a neighboring city, and she went away rejoicing. This was some time ago. One evening the girl, accompanied by her father, paid a visit to the mission. She was happy in Christ, and had led eleven souls to him, her father and mother being among the number. Her father was full of praise and thanksgiving to God for what he had done for his erring child, and tears ran down his cheeks as he thanked the singer for the song, and for the help she had been to his daughter. Her desire is to work among the fallen ones from among whom she was rescued." Not Half has ever been Told Words by the Rev. J. B. Atchinson "I have read of a beautiful city, Music by O. F. Presbrey Far away in the kingdom of God." "A young skeptic in Ohio," writes Dr. O. F. Presbrey," was wasting away with consumption. His family were greatly distressed, for nothing seemed to awaken in him an interest regarding his soul. One day, as he lay on the sofa, his sister, sitting at the organ, sang, 'Not half has ever been told.' He seemed much affected and said, 'Oh, sister, sing that hymn again, I never had anything touch my heart like that before.' The hymn was sung again, and day by day he listened to it. Within two months his spirit took its flight, singing as it went, 'Not half of that city's bright glory, To mortals has ever been told.'" A clergyman had a son who was sent up into the north woods of Canada in search of health. After a few weeks his father was summoned, and found him in a dying condition. On the evening before his death they sang together "Not half has ever been told." The father says that he can never forget the joy and peace which filled the soul of his dying boy as they sang of that beautiful city of which he was so soon to be an inhabitant. Not Now, My Child Words by Mrs. Pennefather Music by Ira D. Sankey "Not now, my child,—a little more rough tossing, A little longer on the billows' foam." Mrs. Pennefather, the author of this hymn, was the wife of one of the ministers who invited Mr. Moody and me to England in 1873. She was one of the founders of the Mildmay Conference, in the north of London, and also organized the famous Deaconess Society, composed of many ladies of distinction who therein seek a field for religious effort. I arranged her hymn to music, and often used to sing it as a solo. A young lady of a titled family, walking one day along the Strand, saw crowds pushing into the large building where we were holding meetings. Following the crowd, she soon found herself seated and listening to a stirring sermon by Mr. Moody. I also sang this hymn as a solo. The whole service much impressed the young lady. At the conclusion of the meeting, when Mr. Moody invited all who desired to become Christians to rise, she stood up with hundreds of others, and later went into the inquiry-room and there gave her heart to God. When she went home she announced to her family that she had become a Christian, and they laughed her to scorn. After a few weeks. she decided to leave her home and cast in her lot with those who were living for Christ. She went to Mrs. Pennefather, and put on the dress of a deaconess. There she continued for over a year. One day, more than a year later, she received a letter from her father, a Lord of the realm, asking her to accompany him on his yachting trip to the north of Scotland. While on the trip she was successful in leading her father to the Saviour. Landing in Scotland, they found some friends from London in a little fishing village. On Sunday the question arose as to where they would attend service. They finally agreed to go to a neighboring village where a visiting clergyman was to give an address. The young lady and her father were greatly impressed with the sermon. The next day when they returned to the yacht, his Lordship remarked that he would like to have that clergyman preach his funeral sermon. On the return trip the old gentleman caught a severe cold, and died soon afterward. The young lady communicated her father's wish to the clergyman, and he conducted the funeral services. The clergyman became interested in the young lady, and sought her hand in marriage. After their wedding they moved |