Smyrna times., 1899-09-27
PROF. ]. R. SWEENEY,
RECOLLECTIONS OF THE DISTINGUISHED
MUSICIAN.
John r. Clements Relates How He First
Met the Composer of "Sunshine
in My Soul"

My Soul" ga Word About its Author"
from the pen of John R. Clements, of
BlnghamtOn, n. Y. The sketch is il
lustrated with half tore portrait of the
late Prof. John R. Sweeney, the best and
most lifelike portrait we have seen in
any publication. Mr.. Clements writes
as follows:
'One of the church's noblemen has
fallen, and the realm of gospel song
has seen one of its sweetest, busiest
pens laid down. When, on the after
noon of April 10, Prof. John Robson
Sweeney said farewell to earth, the book
of an eventful life closed.
''He was born in 1887. His musical
career began with study under Pro-
fessOr Barili when he was nineteen
years old, and he was a band-master in
Delaware regiment during the Civil
War. 1t is as the author of gospel
hymn tunes that have found their way
around the world that he will longest
be remembered, though his work as
leader of music in Bethany Presbyter-
ian church, Philadelphia, as musical
director at the Ocean Grove camp meet
ings, and as teacher of music at the
Pennsylvania Military Academy, has
made him known to thousands and
no one ever met him but to love
him.
''We stood together on the platform
of railway station one afternoon,
many miles from the scenes of any of
his labors, and where he had little
thought of being known, when lady
stepped up to him and said: Professor
Sweeney, 1 believe? 1 met you at Ocean
Grove last year. [ want 20 tell you
what a help your songs have been to
me-" Everywhere he went he found
friends to admire him, because of the
enjoyment and help he had afforded
them.
So busy was his pen that always once
year, and some years oftener, his pub
fishers put on the market a new book
of gospel songs edited by him. These
books had large sales.
perhaps no single composition has
been sung more than ''Beulah Land, ;"
one of his earliest productions. Stories
of its use have come back to him from
every quarter, to cheer him and make
his heart glad with the knowledge of
having been a source of help to many
through it. A traveller climbing the
Alps one day came upon an old lady
rocking a wee baby in her arms, and
singing in her native tongue, while she
swung it to and fro
go Beulah Land, Sweet Beulah Land, :"
''As illustrating how often the most
signal success IN composition may be
thought a failure at the start, Professor
Sweeney told me that just after the first
appearance of 'Beulah Land he was
besought by his publisher to try his
hand at changing it, 'as it didn't seem
to be taking very fast The young
author brought it back in little while
with the remark, L can't better it by
any change l can think Of All right,
said the publisher, let it stand as it
is. The song is beginning to 60, and
it has been going from that day till
this.
81 can never forget the impression
made upon my mind by his Sunshine
in My Soul" the first time 1 heard it.
The California delegation to the Chris
tian Endeavor International Conven-
tiOn at Montreal came marching into
the large drill hall singing the sweet,
cheering melody, and the song and the
singing made decided hit. This work
of Professor Sweeney was the first of a
long line of sunshine songs, by many
authors, that have scattered cheer and
brightness everywhere. 1t is anotable
fact that the words of Sunshine in My
Soul and More About Jesus'-two
songs which have won for themselves
a lasting ame,-both came from Miss
Hewitt to Professor Sweeney in the
same mail.
Zone of the unique pictures hung on
the walls of my memory is Sunday
afternoon scene in the Elmira, N. Y,
Reformatory, where Professor sweeney
led the cOnvicts for an hour in a service
of gospel song. The large chapel was
completely filled, and as the hundreds
of men entered heartily into the spirit
of the service, the effect can readily be
imagined.
"Hon. John Wanamaker paid a touch
ing tribute to the worth of Professor
Sweney's work at his funeral, and said,
This blessed man has only climbed up
the mountain, and like Moses entered
the Land of Promise. God sent down
His angels from the upper sky with a
message for his sweet singer to come
to the Land of Song.