The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-08
now SONG CAME TO he WRITTEN
Its Author Tells an Interesting story
of Its CompositIon.

rum the LOUISVILLE Aky) Post
In Richmond, little town of less than
1000 Inhabitants, almost on the southern
boundary line of Illinois, lives the author
of In the Sweet BY and By" He is a
practicing physician and IS under 50
years Of age. The immortal hymn was
written when he was only 81, and is the
single song of his life.
During the civil war a wave of moral
elevation and Intellectual activity passed
over the country. In this grand awaken
ing Of the conscience there was a food Of
music-martial, religious, domestic.
George F. Root and Stephen ]. Foster
were both writing songs that lived, and
Sunday-school hymns passed out of the
driyeling period into one of elevated sim
Just at this time Samuel Fillmore Ben
nett was graduated from Ann ArDOr
Mich, and began newspaper career
az Elkhorn, Wis, on the Independent.
j. r. Webster, the musical composer.
was living in the same town, and ii was
only few months before the editor ami
the musician were collaborating. The
war interviewed, and Lieut.. Bennett of
the Fortieth Wisconsin Volunteers re-
turned to Elkhorn to open a drug store
Mrs. Webster began in 1867 to work on
a Sunday school song book, called The
Signet Ring, which was afterward pull
This period Of his life is the most pre-
cious of all his experiences to DR. Ben
nett. Not long ago he told the whole
story to an interested group of listeners
his eyes filling with tears as he indicated
his friend from calumnies.
Currency has been given to the shame
full story that Mr.. Webster was drunk
when he wrote the music, and another &C
count has 1t that we were both drunk.
/ am thankful to do justice to one Of the
noblest men that ever lived-a fine SEN
sitiVe soul, with the true artistic feeling
Again, 1t has been said that we We're both
intidels, and the song the ribald jest of
a carouse. As to my religion, that is my
own affair; but the hope and longing OF
every immortal soul, as expressed in that
song, was the faith of both of US. To
both creation would have seemed a farce
If infinite love and Immortality had not
overshadowed us and promised a life of
bliss beyond the grave.
Mr.. Webster like many musicians was
of an exceedingly nervous and sensitive
nature and subject to fits of depression.
| knew his peculiarities well. and when
found him given up to blue devils, | just
gave him a cheerful song TO work on.
one morning he came into the store and
walked l55 to the stove without speaking
" It's no matter. 1t will be all right
The idea Of the hymn came to me like
a flash of sunshine: The Sweet BY and
BY Everything VIII be all right then.
/ Why wouldn't that make a good hymn?'
" Maybe it would he replied gloomily
Turning to the desk | wrote as rapidly
as ] could. In less than half an hour, /
think, the song as it stands to-day was
written. Here il Is:
There's a land that is fairer than day.
And bv faith we can see il afar
For the Father waits over the way.
To prepare US a dwelling place there.
In the sweet by-and-by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore
In the sweet by-and-by.
We shah meet on that beautiful shore.
We shall sing on that beautiful shore
The melodious song of the blest
And our spirits shall sorrow no more
Not sigh for the blessing OF resti
Chorus.
To our bountiful Father above
We win offer the tribute of praise.
For the glorious gift of his love
And the blessings that hallow our days
Chorus.
In the meantime two friends. y. H..
Carswell and 5. r. Bright. had come in. I
handed the verses to Mr.. Webster q little
tremulous with emotion. As he read il his
eyes kindled. Stepping 20 the desk. he be-
gan 10 1ot down the notes. lie picked no
his violin and tried them. In ten minutes
Mr.. r. X. Crosby came in, and with tears
in his eyes, said: Gentlemen. that hymn
is immortal We were all excited elated
Within Two weeks the children of the
town were singing Il on the streets
In 1865 The Signet Ring. was publish
ed the publisher distributing circulars 10
advertise ~, and on the sheets was The
Sweet Ey ana By, ON the strength or that
one song nearly quarter OF q million
was aiterWard brought out IN sheet music
and 10 has been translated into "a number
Of foreign languages
Webster. Crosby and Carswcu are an
dead. . d Bright Of Fort Atkinson. Wis
ard myself are the only living Witnesses
90 che origin " the song"
Coal b worth 500 "a ton ai the Kim.
berry diamond mines which comes preffv