St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-01-07
The Story Of the "Sweet By
and-By."

In Richmond, little town of less than
1000 inhabitants, almost on the southern
boundary line OF Illinois, lives the author
oi"In the Sweet By.and-By." He is a
practicing physician and is under oo
wears of age, SAYS the Louisville, KY,
Post. The immortal hymn was written
when he was only 81, and is the single
song OF his life. d,
During the civil war wave OF moral
elevation and intellectual activity passed
over the country. In thisgrand awaken,
ing of the conscience there was flood 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
driveling period into one OF elevated SIM
plicity.
lust at this time Samuel Fillmore Ben
nett was graduated from Ann Arbor,
Mich, and began newspaper career at
Elkhorn, Wisconsin, on the Independent.
Up. Webster, the musical composer, was
living in the same town, and it was only
few months before the editor and the
musician were collaborating, The war
interviewed, and Lieut.. Bennett OF the
Fortieth Wisconsin Volunteers returned
to Elkhorn to open drug store and re-
sumo his verse writing. He and Mr..
Webster began in 1867 to work on
Sunday School song book, called The
Signet Ring" which was aiterward pub
lshed.
This period OF his life is the most pre-
cious 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 indicated his
friend from calumnies.
Currency has been given tothe shame
full 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
noblest men that ever lived-a fine, sensi-
tive soul, with the true artistic feeling
Again, it has been said that we were
both inhdels, and the song the rlhald 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
farce of Infinite Love and Immortality
had not ovcrshadowed 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 pecularities well, and when | found
him given DIP to blue devils just gave
him cheerful song to work on. One
morning he came into the store and
walked to the stove without speaking.
"What's up now, Webster | asked.
"lt's no matter. 1t will be all right
by-and-by.'
THE idea came to me like fash Of
sunshine. The Sweet BY and By Ev-
erything will be all right then why
wouldn't that make a good hymn"
"Maybc it would, hereped, gloomily.
Turning to the desk | wrote as rapidly
as could. In less than hall an hour,
think, the song as it stands today was
written. Here it is:
There's n land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it aiar,
For the Father lives over the way
To prepare us Il dwelling place there.
In the sweet by-and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore
In The sweet by and-by.
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
VS. shall sing on that beautiful shore
The melodiouS songs of the blest,
And our spirits shall sorrow no more
Not sigh for the blessing OF rest
Chorus.
To our bountful Father above
We will offer the tribute of praise,
For the glorious gift of His love
And the blessings that halow our days.
Chorus.
ain the meantime two friends, N. H..
Carswell and S. +. Bright, had come in.
/ handed the verses to Mr.. Webster, a
little tremulous with emotion. AS he
read it his eyes kindled. Stepping to the
the desk be began to lot down the notes.
He picked up his violin and tried them.
In ten minutes we four gentlemen were
singing that song. 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 it on the streets.
an 1868 The Slgnet Ring was pub
lished, the publisher distributing circulars
to advertise it, and on the streets was
The Sweet By and.By.' On the strength
OF that one song nearly quarter of a
million OF copies OF the book were sold.
The song was aiterward brought out in
sheet music, and it has been translated
into number of foreign languages.
webster. Crosby and Carswell are all
dead. S E. Bright OF Fort Atkinson,
Wis, and myself are the only living wit
nesses to the origin of the song"