Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-05-15

In Richmond a little town of less
than 1000 inhabitants, almost Oh the
southern boundary line of Illinois, lives
the author OF I'm the Sweet BY anG
| BY. " He is q practicing physician anC
! is under go years of age The immorta
hymn was written when he WAS only 81
and is the single song Of his life.
During the civil war wave Of moral
elevation and intellectual activity pass
ed over the country. in this grand
awakening of the conscience there was IA
flood Of music-martial, religious, do
nestle. George +. Root and stephen j.
Foster We're both writing songs that
lived, aud Sunday school hymns passed
cut of the driveling period into one Of
elevated simplicity.
just at this time Samuel Fillmore
Bennett was graduated from Ann Ar
Dor, Mich, and began newspaper ca.
teer At Elkhorn. Wis, on The mdepenu.
Lnt. j. p. Webster, the musical COM
poser, was living in the same town, and
ii was only few months before the
editor and the musician were collaborat
ing. The war interviewed, and Lieuten
|
volunteers returned to Elkhorn to open
drug store and resume his verse writ
ing. He and Mrs. Webster began in
1867 to work on a Sunday school song
book, called THE Signet Ring, which
was afterward published.
This period of his life is the most
precious of all his experiences to Dr..
Bennett Not long ago he told the whole
story TO an interested group of listeners,
his eyes filling with tears as he vindi.
Gated his friend from calumnies:
Currency has been given to the
shameful story that Mr.. Webster was
drunk when he wrote the music, and
another account has it that We were both
drunk. / am thankful TO do justice to
one Of the uoblest men that ever lived
IA fine, sensitive soul with the true
artistic feeling. Again, it has been said
that we were 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 were the faith
Of both of us To both creation would
have seemed farce if infinite love and
immortality had not overshadOwed Us
and promised life of bliss beyond the
grave.
Mr. Webster, like many musicians,
was Of an exceedingly nervous and SEN
sitive nature, and subject to fits of de-
preston. knew his peculiarities well,
and when / found him given up TO blue
devils, | Just gave him a cheerful song
10 work on. One morning he came into
the store and walked TO the stove with
out speaking.
WHATS up now, Webster? asked.
q" It's no matter. 1t will be all right
by and by.
THE idea Of the hymn came to me
like flash of sunshine-'The Sweet BY
and By. Everything will be all right
then. Why wouldn't that make good
hymn?'
Maybe it would, he replied gloom
lily. Turning 70 the desk, / wrote as
rapidly as l could. In less than half an
hour, | think, the song as il stands to-
day was written. Here il is:
"There's a land that is fa. 'er than day.
And by faith we can sec { afar,
For the Father waits over me way
To prepare dwelling place there
CHORUS
"In the sweet by aud by
We shall meet on that beautiful Shore
In tho sweet by and "
We shall meet on that beautiful shore
"We shall sing on that beautiful shore
The melodioIs songs Of the blcst,
And our spirits shall sorrow no moro
Not a sigh fOr The blessing Of rest.
"To our bountiful Father above
We will offer the tribute Of praise
For the glorious gift Of his love
And the blessings Mat hallow our days
"In the meantime two friends, n. Il
Carswell and >. i. Bright, had come
in. handed the verses to Mr.. Webster.
little tremulous with emotion. AS he
read II his eyes kindled. Stepping to
the desk, he began to jot down the
notes. He picked MP his violin and
tried them. In ten minutes we four
! gentlemen were singing that song Mr..
X. 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 werc singing it on the
streets.
In 1868 The Signet Ring was pub
lished, the published distributing circu-
lars TO advertise it and on the sheets
was The Sweet By and BY. On the
strength of that one song nearly $50, 600
copies of the book were sold The song
was afterward brought out in sheet mu
sic, and it has been translated into a
number Of foreign languages.
Webster, Crosby and Carswell are al
dead. 5. +. Bright Of Fort Atkinson
Wis, and myself are the only living
witnesses to the origin of the song -
louisville Post.
|
An Agricultural Peer.
The Earl Of Winchelsea is best known
to the English public by the great inter
est he takes in matters agricultural.
| I 81, 3,, ,f,.Ia hn 1,I L., %,