Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-09-26
Jesus, Lover of My Soul.

! most generally accepted eDd peioYed o' sil
| Chris!isu hymns. I. ls SAID that one day,
ip the gear l740, Charles Wesley Sas sitting
at nis tetk in his room wien little bird
pursued by hawk few Into tee ROOM and
took refuge 10 bis bosom The 2oet took up
his pen end wrote these immortal verses.
Heory Ward Beacher, whom speaking OF
his fathers love for this hymn, once said :
/ I would rather have written that hymn o:
Wesley's, Jesus, lover of my scul,' than to
bave the fame OF all the kiDgs that ever
ruled on the earth It is mere glorious. Il
| bes more power In 1t. would rather be
Inc author CT tbat hymn than hold the
| wealth OF the richest msn in New York. He
is dead, aud does not know 1t. He will pess
after little while out Of mems thoughts
What will there be to say Of him What
will he have done that will stop trouble or
encourage hope ? His money will go to bis
heirs, spd they will divide 10. And they
viii! die and 1t will go to their heirs. In
| three or four generations everything comes
| TO the ground again for redistribution. But
chat hymn will 90 On singing until the last
trump brings forth from every land the
children of God, and then it will mount
up on some lip to the very presence OF
! God.n
Some one has complied liat OF eminent
men whc were known to repeat this hymn
when dying. Theolcgie7s and scholars OF
every creed ais In this list.
Dr.. Herrck Johnson give, an incident OF
hfs hospital work during the war. He came
upon drummer boy, who wss wounded
unto death.
What can l do for you, my brave iel-
low"
''Slug Jesus, lover Of my soul >"
| A wounded soldier lying near took up the
words and began to sing them, while the
! drummes.boy, too weak to sing, repeated
! them as bis dying prayer, and while they
we're en- his lips his soul took lts dght TO
the bosom OF Jesus.
In the winter Of 1872 Christian worker
| In New York visited Bslie7ue Hospital. He
was urged by the attendants to ace or Ec-
| gliss sailor IN one OF che wards vino was
| near death end tnen unable to epeak. The
coed man leaned over his bed and softly re-
| pssted this hymn la bis dull ear. There was
no sign that the dying man heard the bless-
ed words, and the visitor went away
About midnight, however. the eailor aroused,
and With clear voice said
| Jesus, lovor Of my soul,
Let mo 70 tny bosom ny
and oonttnued until be hsd repeated the en-
tire hymn. BE then added other verses Of
hymns. and suddenly died.
"Who can tell," says DnHield, "how great
a bridge has been thrown by those familiar
words across the gull of memory, and how
great comfort they may have brought to
| his dying hour?"
| a lady in Norwich, England. went TO
hear famous preach at the Tabernacle.
She was In great distress OF mind and had
determined to attend divine service oucs
mere, and she intended, II she obtained no
peace, then to drown herself The first
hvmn that tte preacher announced was,
| "Jesue, lover CT my soul," which 80 startled
| her, and suited her condition, that sbe sup
posed that "he had read this hymn for her
| sake" for she was sure some one had in
| formed him Of her state Of mind. As re-
sult Of this experience she WAS htpsiully
converted.
One beautiful evening, In the summer Of
1881, party of northern tourists formed
part OF large campany gathered on the
| deck OF sn excursion steamer sailing down
the historic Potomac. & gentleman, who
has since gained national reputation as
! singing evangelist, had been dslighsing the
party with big happy rendering of familiar
| hymns, the last bsiGg that petition 80 dear
to every Christian heart, "Jesus, lover of
my SOUL" The singer gave the first two
verses with such feeling and emphasis as
thrilled every heart. 4 hush had fallen up
on the listeners, which wes not broken till
gentleman made his way from the outskirts
OF the crowd TO the eide Of the singer and
said:
beg your pardon. stranger, but we're you
actively engaged in the late wars
"Yes. sir" the man of song answer ID, ri
fought under General Grant,
| II cid my fighting on the other side," con-
tinued the first speaker. "snd am quite sure
! Was very near you one bright night. eleh.
teen yeers ago tbis very month, I. We,
much auch night es thls IfIam not mis-.
teken you were on guard dpsy. We OF the
eoueh had business on hand, ard you we're
OF the enemy. vas selected by the com.
mandsr, because bad the reputation az q
sure shot, to creep near your post OF duty
The shadows hid me. My weapon was In
my haud. As you psced back snd forth YOU
we're humming the tuUe OF the hymn Won
have just sung. fsised my gun and aimed
it at your heart. Then cut upon this air
rang the words
C5ver my defenceless head
With the shadow Of thy wing
Your prayer was answered. couldn't are after
that, and there was no attack made upon your
camp that night. felt sure when I heard you
| sing this evening that you were the man whose
| life was spared from taking"
The singer grasped the hand OF the Southerner,
| and said with much emotion
81 remember tho night very we'll, and remem-
| Der distinctly the feeling Of depression and lone
illness with which I won't forth TO my duty. I
knew my post WAS one of great danger, and was
more defect than l remember TO have been at
sny time during the service. paced my lonely
best, thinking Of home and friends, snd all that
| life holds. Then the thought Of Gods care for
| all thsE He hAd created came t) me with peculiar
forcs II He SO cares for the sparrow, how much
more for man, crested in His own image; and |
sung the prayer of my heart and ceased to feel
alone. How the prayer was answered I never knew
uutil this evening. Ny Heavenly Father thought
best to keep the knowledge from me for eighteen
years. How much of His goodness to US We shall
bs ignorant of, until revealed by the light Of
| eternity! Jesus lover OF my soul has been