Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-08

Foundation" and 81 Love Thy King
dom, Lord" Mr.. Moody thinks that
lust as / Am" Is on the whole the
most helpful of hymns
Unltarians of course, cannot endure
the idea of sacrifice. the blood"
recognized In Rock of Ages They
prefer Nearer My God. 10 Thee"
whose author was of their own order.
One claims that NEARLY all the great
hymns OF the last fifty years have been
written by Unitatians" But that Is
only In harmony with the assumptions
so common on the part Of those people.
They who have done and are doing
least for the religious and spiritual
elevation of the race are boldest to
claim that they have done the most OF
what has been done.
one writer says: "There is yet room
for doubt whether Mr.. Stead is not
dogmatic in saving that no other
| English hymn can be named which has
laid so broad and firm a grasp ON the
English speaking world That writer
does not seem to know that Mr. Stead
was plagiarizing when he said that
He took It from "a Dictionary Of
Hymnology." edited by John Julian,
and published by the Scribners. II was
he. who had made n study of hymnol-
ogy MS few others have studied 1t, who
said that Rock of Ages" has the
broadcast and ERNEST grusp upon the
English speaking world And when
he question is asked what hymn
hos been most helpful and POPULAR
| the matter of age must be taken into
the account. 1t must be remembered
| hat Rock OF Ages" was first written.
| or suggested, in 1715. that Is. one hun
| bred and twenty-three years ago. and
| that hardly hymn book published
/ since 1910 has been without II. II has
o"n translated into various languages.
| and has been sung by more people and
I a.
| other. unless we except "All Hail the
I Power of Jesus Name" In It's orig
| inal form IT had several blemshes and
/ these were removed. and then again
/ put back by one who wishes to
restore" the original. We can not
now be sure. whom we take up hymn
| book. that we shall find IT as we first
| learned II. nor dare we undertake to
sing 1t from memory. with those using
| book. It would be difficult to nick
ur two books at random and find II
| printed alike in both.
One hundred and twenty years. in
tho most progressively evangelical ages
~ the world-that is long time for n
hymn to retain its popularity. And
| tho fact can he ascrlhed only to in
trinsc merits Charles Wesley's
"Jesus, Lover of My Soul was written
in l740: hut 1t has not been included in
so many collections, and II has suffered
]
my Faith Looks Up to Thee" was
written by Ray Palmer in 1890. Near
| err My God to Thee" was first pub
lished by Mrs. Adams, in 1881. Just
as Am. without One Plea" was
written by Charlotte Elliott of England
and published not earlier than 1880.
Lead, Kindly Light" was written by
John Henry subsequently CardlnaD
Newman In 1893 So II will he seen
that only wesley's "Jesus, Lover Of
NV Soul" has had time to do what
Rock of Ages" has done. And no one
of al named hos been more frequently
on the Inns. or hos -~t"n " f"r'or ho'd
uuun the heart, when said or sung.
'han has that grand old ode of Toplady.
Other songs may be more popular for
few years. and new ones are con-
stantlv coming to us and charming us,
hut when these have had their day and
we have got tired Of tho'r' "''"ot ~
Aros" stands forth in all Its grandeur
and suFGestiveness. To the thoughts
suggested in that song we may run. as
to a strong tower. and be safe'-Chris-
tian Leader.