The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-01

| lOOkeu WIN "OnQcr at the newspaper
clipping. my dear FRIEND" he said
with emotion, "where did you get
like it,"
THAT" said Mr.. Sankey, sis the
hymn | read you on tho train-the one
you didn't hear"
| And thus the tune of the "Ninety
and Nine" was born into the world, u
tune which has gone literally around
| the world. And as it was sung that
day in Edinburgh by inspiration, so it
has been written down in the hymn
books, and 80 it has been sung in the
many languages, and no note or chord
OF 1t has ever been changed, nor would
Mr.. Sankcy consent to the slightest
change, not to please all the musical
critics in the world.
"Ihe critics say they can see nothing
IN the tune Of the Ninety and Nine"
said Mr.. Sankey, smiling. "They
can't account for its success: that is
because critics, with their rules and
theories, make no allowance for in
spiration Of the soul"
1t is interesting to note that in the
great gathering which thrilled at this
first singing OF the " Ninety and Nine !"
was woman, back in one of the gal
lcrles, vino was made very happy by
tic singing OF these words since she
recognized in them the very verses
written three years before by her
sister, who was now dead. And after
the service she tried to speak to MIR.
Sankey and thank him for what he
had done, but the crush of people was
too great, and it was only on receiving q
letter from this lady that the evan
gelist came to know of this incident
and learned the name of the author of
the hymn. That name is Elizabeth G..
Clephane.
After the first success of the "Ninety
and Nine = there came many requests
to publish the hymn, but MIR. Sankey
did not consent to this for long timo,
thinking to get better results by keep.
ing it exclusively for their meetings,
especially as they were going into IL
part of Scotland where the words
would be particularly appreciated.
And many a time during subsequent
months he had the satisfaction of
seeing in the great open-air gatherings
which they held grizzled, weather
beaten shepherds, men Of the noun
talns, who had come from long dis
tances with their slaves and rough
clothes, standing there with tears
streaming down their bronzed cheeks
as they listened to the song story of
the shepherd and the lost sheep. That
appealed to them as nothing else could.
Oddly enough tho name by which
the hymn is now known is not the one
originally given it by Mr.. Sankey,
who preferred to call it 1.-THE Lost
Sheep" But for some reason the
opening words were the ones that took
Mr.. Moody's fancy, and, in giving out
tho hymn, he would always say Mr..
Sankey will now sing the Ninety and
Nine ," Several times MIR. Sankey
reminded Mr.. Moody that the song
was about the lost sheep, and not
about the ninety and nine that were
safe in the fold, but MIR. Moody would
only smilc and say: Never mind,
The Ninety and Nine is good name,"
and so at last Mr.. Sankey had TO change
the name and it became what it is to-
day.
10 tell of the wonderful effect this
hymn has had upon mon and women
would be to multiply instances to fill "a
volume. single one may be given
which is doubly interesti' e from the
fact that it occurred during the first
revival meeting held by Moody and
Sankcy in the United States after their
two years sojourn in England. The
meeting was at Northfield, Mass, Mr..
Moody's home, and such an immense
crowd had gathered that the church
could hold but Il small part Of it.
Farmers with their families had come
In from all directions, and the streets
near the church were blocked with
wagons and vehicles. Mr.. Moody man
aged to make his way into the church
through q back door, and, coming
forward on the platform announced to
the congregation that, as they were
far less numerous than those who were
waiting outside, the service would be
held in the open air in front OF the
church. Then there was q great
scramble to get out with much chagrn
among those who had come early for
good seats.
After splendid service of prayer.
and exhOrtatiOn Mr.. Moody turned to
Mr.. Sankey and asked him TO sing for
the first time in America the hymn
which had been SO wonderfully blessed
in England, the "Ninety and Nine"
And, seated on narrow platform If
front OF tho church, with his little
melodeon before him, where it had
been carried from within, Mr.. Sankey
began TO sing the familiar words. 1t
was an impressive moment : the people
stood with heads barred filling the wide
street before him and stretching away
on other side as far as he could SEQ.
Still under the spell of Moody's power,
they listened as the evangelist of song
lifted up his voice. 1t was beautiful
summers afternoon, those late still
hours when evening is coming on and
nature Is so beautiful. Mr.. Sankey sang
rs perhaps he had never sung before,
and tho music of his voice swept across
| the valley on the calm evening air,
sounding over the Connecticut river,
flowing at their feet and was heard
on the hills opposite D mile away, and
| there in cottage on one Of these hills
sat man who was in q state OF anger
toward his fellowmen, out of sorts
| with everything. He was Il well-known
character in the vicinity ho did not
be5evea be5eve much ,ssht in IN Ghurehgong G and
Sankey, whom he regarded as arrant
humbugs, chiefly because he had grown
up with Mr.. Moody and years before
had worked side by side with him on
the farm. And the idea that sensible
people, his neighbors and the members