The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-07-24
DEVOTIONAL SONGS.
circumstances Under Which Some FaEocG
Hymns Wore Composed.

Circumstances Under Which Some Farnoss
Hymns Wore Composed.
Among modern hymns there is prob
ably no greater favorite in Christian
households than Phebe Cary's beauti-
tiful poem entitled Nearer Home"
The circumstances of it's composition
are simple, and are told by its author
in few words in letter written to
the friend in whose dwelling the verses
had their birth. lit was written"
says Miss Cary, '.in 1912. I composed
it in the little back third-story bed
room, on Sunday morning, after COM
ing from church, and it makes me very
happy to think that any word could
say has done little good in the
world"
Among the many sweet and helpful
hymns sung at devotional meetings in
this country few have taken stronger
hold than that beginning He Leadeth
Me 1t was welded by Bradbury to one
of his tenderest and purestmelodies, and
the words and music appear in almost
every church collection Of hymns and
tunes The author OF He Leadeth
Me- was the reverend j. H. Gilmore,
who wrote it in Philadelphia many
years ago. It after the author had
delivered lecture on the Twenty-third
psalm at an evening service. and while
few of the leading members of his
society were developing the subject
still further in the parhor of one OF
their number, that Mr.. Gilmore jotted
the hymn down in pencil precisely as
it now stands. save that the refrain has
since been added by another hand.
The poem was handed by him to his
wife, who sent it, without his knowl-
edge, to the WatcInaa1s and Reflector.
in which paper it was soon after
printed.
The history Of the beautiful hymn.
Il Would Not Live Away" affords one
of the most remarkable instances OF q
double claim to authorship on record
It is almost universally accredited to
Doctor Muhlenberg, and it may be
surprise to many to learn that strong
evidence has been adduced to prove it
to have been written by Henry Ward,
printer and poet. who died in Lltch-
field, Conn.,, in 1871.
Among the older rhymes which still
retain their place as masterpieces in
modern collections, one Of the most
sublime is Cowper's:
God moves IN o mysterious way
His wonders 10 perform.
An interesting and pathetic story OF
the origin OF this composition is re-
lated by John Banvard, who was well
acquainted with the circumstances:
AS is well known, Cowper was sub
iect to deep melancholy, which at times
even amounted to insanity. During
one of these fits of depression, while in
London, the poet was seized with the
sudden impulse to drown himself. He
Immediately ordered hackney coach
to be brought to his door, and upon its
arrival he rushed downstairs and into
1t without giving orders where it was
to be driven. On the driver asking
dim where he wished to be taken, he
replied, excitedly: ITO the Thames"
The manner and look in which these
words were uttered convinced the man
that all was not right. He drove off,
but not to the river, as Cowper had
ordered him. He drove up one street
and down another for q long time.
while Cowper sat back in his seat in
mental abstraction, which convinced
the driver that his occupant was in
sane.
After a long, roundabout journey
he at length drove up to the poets
lodgings and told him he had arrived
s'where he was ordered. C6wper de-
scended from the vehicle, entered the
house and went to his room. Then, in
his returning consciousness, the truth
of the entire transaction entered his
mind, and he found that he had not
seen the river at all, nor had he
drowned himself, as he intended when
he left the chamber two hours before.
In this occurrence Cowper plainly dis
cerned the hand Of Providence. and
Immediately composed the famous
hymn, which will be sung as long as
hymns are sung in religious worship
detroit Free Press.