The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-01
" Ninety and NinG." "
How Mr., Sankey Composed Hymn that
Has Been Sung the World Over.
TT WAS DONE BY INSPIRATION
Its Original Name Was The Lost
Sheep, But Mr.. Moody Changed

Its Original Name Was The Los
Sheep, But Mr.. Moody Changed
1t.
The story Of the Ninety and Nine )
illustrates aptly how great an effect
may grow out Of small cause, anG
what surprising lowor may be exerted
In the world by oven SO trilling thing
before his departure for California
Mr.. Sankey talked to me for an hour
or more about the "Ninety and Nine, y
and could have gone on, no doubt, for
hours longer without eXhausting his
memories and anecdotes connected
With this most remarkable revival
song. The Ninety and Nine" is al.
ready OF mans age, for it came into the
world in the fall Of 1873, few mouths
after Mr.. Moody and MIR. San<ey began
their first revival campaign in Eng
land. For three months they had
been laboring in Scotland and were
just leaving Glasgow for Edinburgh
when O trifling incident occurred
which resulted in the birth Of this
famous hymn.
AS the two evangelists were waiting
for their train at the Glasgow station
Mr.. Sankey purchased copy of The
soi"h Heo any. !iS nt, ~ penny re-
ligious paper, which he had never
heard of, but thought he would glance
over on the journey. This paper he
laid carelessly on the seat of the rail
way carriage, paying no further heed
to 1t till they were some distance on
the way, when want of occupation
made him take 1t up and begin turning
ita. pages. Mr.. Moody meantime was
busy in his corner of the carriage with
his correspondence.
AS Mr.. Sankey read he came upon
some little verses tucked away at the
bottom OF column and published
anonymously. 1t is doubtful if he
would have noticed the verses vt all,
had not the first two limos caught his
eye, but they had strength in them,
and 80 he read on
"There were ninety and nine that
safely lay
In the shelter of the fold"
So it began, and MIR. Sankey followed
down the lines, while the express for
Edlnhurg' rushed on at sixty miles per
hour.
Hurrah !" cried Mr.. Sankey, bring
Ing his hand down Oh his knee in his
characteristic enthusiasm "I've
for years"
"Yes.9" said Mr.. Moody, absently
"what is it? ?"
{" {" It's I ssb about "a sheep"
"Yes; a sheep that was lost on the
mountains and carried home by the
shepherd"
" H'm, him." said Mr.. Moody, not
paying much attention " read it,"
feeling into his words, for the beauty
of the verses impressed him, but when
he looked up he saw that Mr.. Moody
had heard nothing of the reading,
being lost in his letters.
All right" said MIR. Sankey to
himself; "he III hear that hymn later
on )" and cutting out tho verses from
the paper, he put them away carefully
for future use.
A few days after this they held a
great revival meeting at Edinburgh at
the Free Assembly hall, which was
crowded with the best people of the
city. Mr.. Moody spoke most eloquent
ly on the good shepherd, and thcn
followed fine address by DR.. Horatius
Bonar, the author of IL Heard the
Voice OF Jesus Say Come Unto Me and
Rest" AS DR.. Bonar finished there
came over the meeting that stiffness
and solemnity which indicates deep
spiritual feeling. Those are golden
momspts in the evangelist's work.
Bending down from his pulpit toward
the little melodeon. Mr.. Moody said !:
Mr.. Sankcy, have you anything to
sing on this subject as IL solo,"
Mr.. Sankey hesitated. Ho could
think OF nothing directly On the sub
ject except the twenty-third Psalm,
which had already been sung three
times that day by the congregation.
They must have something else. Like
q flash 1t camo to him: Sing the
song you found on the train" But his
ecOnd!thought was: GLOW can | sing
the audience was waiting in silence
"Sing. tho hymn you found on the
train" came the thought again, this
time imperatively. l wonder how
many mon would have dared such {
thing rs this at such q moment. Mr.
Sankey opened his little scrapbook 0
solos, found the newspaper slip which
he had cut from the paper, laid i
before him On tho rack of the melo
deon, and then, after moment o
silent supplication, struck full chort
and began to sing. What notes ht
sang he did not know, nor what chords
he played; he took no heed of harmony
nor Of the laws Of musical progression
He was not thinking Of such things
He was thinking Of that poor, tori
sheep on the bleak mountain side, ant
of the good shepherd who searched
for it through the night and brough
it home. And what he sang was the
JOY that swelled ia his soul, the hope
that was born, the love for those wht
suffered and needed help. And somc
how he got through the first stanza.
And then as he paused and played
some chords on tho molOdoOn waitint
to begin the second stanza. he knev
that every heart in that vast audience
was with him that every breath wa
=. held in expectation. and the though
y camo to him i: Can sing the secon
stanza as l did the first; ; can remen
ber the notes ?" and he concentrate
his mind once more on the effort an
began to sing again. And SO he wen
through tho five stanzas, and tn