Words by Ellen K. Bradford

Over the Line

Music by E. H. Phelps

"Oh, tender and sweet was the Master's voice

As He lovingly called to me."

We were holding meetings in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1878. One day, at the noon meeting in City Hall, a minister rose on the platform and bore testimony to the way the Lord had blessed one of his sons, a Yale student. "My son," he said, "happened to be seated beside a gentleman from England in one of Mr. Moody's meetings. Tarrying for the aftermeeting, he was spoken to by the gentleman beside him about becoming a Christian. After half an hour spent in talking they went out into the street, and the gentleman said that he would gladly walk home with my son if he had no objection, as he had nothing else to do. They came at last to the gate which led to my home. Before parting, the earnest Christian worker said he would like to offer one more prayer for my boy. Holding the young man's hand, he asked that the Lord would enable him to decide the great question that very night. With this prayer they separated. The gentleman left town the next day, and may never know how God heard and answered his prayer.

"My son was greatly impressed. Approaching the house, he stopped suddenly, made a deep line across the graveled walk with his cane, and said: 'Now, I must decide this question, for or against Christ, tonight. If I cross the line my life shall be for him; but if I go around it, it will be for the world.' Standing there considering the great question with himself for

a half hour, at last he cried: 'O God, help me to decide aright!' Then he went bounding over the line, and came into my room and said: 'Father, I wish you would pray for me! I have decided to be a Christian.'" The minister said that his heart went out in supplication to God to keep and bless his boy.

This story affected the audience to tears. One of the newspapermen, Mr. E. H. Phelps, proprietor of one of the leading papers of the city, took down the father's story and published it the next morning. And Mrs. Bradford, of Palmer, in the same state, after reading the incident in the paper, sat down and wrote "Over the Line." She sent the hymn to the editor of the paper, Mr. Phelps, and he at once set it to music. Three days later he handed the song to me. I adapted it and had it published in "Gospel Hymns." It has been blessed to thousands of souls all over the world, leading to the conversion of very many.

"While I was holding a series of revival meetings at Brigham, Utah," relates an Iowa clergyman, “ a man was brought to a full surrender of himself to Christ by the singing of the hymn, 'Over the Line.' The first two or three meetings made him very angry, and he determined not to go any more; but as the services increased in interest his anxiety and troubled mind induced him to return, yet only as an observer. He remained in the lecture-room, which opened into the audience-room. Here he was noticed walking the floor, as if in bodily pain. But when at the close of the meeting we sang this hymn, he advanced toward the pulpit, made a long step as though stepping over some object,

reached out his hand and said in a loud, determined voice: 'I have stepped over the line.' This dramatic surrender to Christ and public profession had a powerful effect upon the audience, and many more followed his example."

A missionary sends me the following incident: “I was holding a gospel meeting one Sunday in a Woman's Christian Temperance Union mission. We were on our bended knees when the Spirit said to me, sing, 'Over the Line.' When we arose I turned to the lady at the organ, who had a consecrated voice, and said, sing 'Over the Line.' At the close a man rose and spoke as follows: 'I came away from home and family and work two weeks ago in a drunken spree. Since I came to your city I have often heard of this mission, and was asked to come, but with oaths I refused up to an hour ago, and then I entered this room. The same spirit of unbelief possessed me until this lady began to sing. Those words went to my heart; they were all written for me, and as she sang the last verse I crossed the line, I gave myself, and '—with a deep sob-'He took me.'

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Pass Me Not

Words by Fanny J. Crosby

Music by W. H. Doane

"Pass me not, O gentle Saviour,

Hear my humble cry."

An earnest Christian pastor told of a young man about whom he had long felt much anxiety, as he had seemed so unconcerned about his soul, and was, in reality, a real cause of disturbance and interruption in the classes for other young men.

Meeting him one day, the loving pastor sought once more to influence him, urging, “We want you for Christ and his service." There was a certain change in his manner which did not escape the eye of the prayerful watcher for souls, and-lacking time to do more he seized the opportunity to secure the presence of his young friend at a Christian Endeavor meeting soon to be held. True to his promise he was there. When an opportunity was given for some of the young men to choose a song, it was seen that he was urging his companion to select some particular hymn. The other, yielding to his request, asked if the hymn, " Pass me not, O gentle Saviour," might be sung; and both young men joined in the singing with evident interest and heartiness. Later in the evening it was requested that all who were definitely on the Lord's side would confess their allegiance by standing. Whereupon the one over whom the heart of the pastor was specially yearning rose at once, and with decision.

"Tell me about your conversion," the thankful pastor requested at the close of the meeting, when hands were clasped in glad, brotherly welcome and recognition.

"Oh, yes," assented the other. "It was all through that hymn we have just sung. I was working on the canal at G, and there was a meeting being held at the Mariner's Chapel, near by. The words floated out over the water, and from the tug where I was working I could hear them plainly enough. When they were just going to sing those lines

'While on others Thou are calling,

Do not pass me by!'

a great fear came over me, and I thought, 'Oh, if the Lord were to pass me by, how terrible it would be!' Then and there, on the tug, I cried out: 'O Lord, do not pass me by.' And "-with a bright smile" he didn't pass me by.

I am saved.”

No hymn in our collection was more popular than this at our meetings in London in 1874. It was sung almost every day in Her Majesty's Theater, in Pall Mall, and has been translated into several languages.

At one of our noonday prayer-meetings in Glasgow a prominent gentleman was awakened by the singing of this hymn. He had been very much opposed to our meetings, and his opposition was not lessened when he saw his wife converted. That day he had agreed to attend the meeting for the last time, as a sort of concession; and that was the day when the Spirit of God touched him by this hymn.

Peace! Be Still!

Words by Miss M. A. Baker

Music by H. R. Palmer

"Master, the tempest is raging!

The billows are tossing high!"

When a deep and comforting spiritual experience finds expression it will surely bring comfort to others, as this hymn has done many times. Miss Mary A. Baker has told of its origin:

"Dr. Palmer requested me to prepare several songs on the subject of the current Sunday-school les

sons.

One of the themes was' Christ Stilling the Tem