The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-09-28
HISTORY OF THE HYhN.
Sung by and Dear to all English
Speaking People.
NEARER, MY GOD, 10 THEE.

Prof. E. w. Bowen, PHI. D., in Nashville Christ
taian Advocate.
Few hymns have ever attain
ed to such widespread popularity as
Mrs. Adams famous hymn, Nearer,
My God, to Thee" 1t is almost as
familiar as nursery rhyme, and our
children learn it from the lips of their
mothers shortly after they have learned
to lisp. It is sung alike by the learn
ed and the illlterate, by the rich and
the poor. In short, it is perhaps
the most popular hymn in America.
This hymn is no less fayorite in
England than America. In the pie
biscite taken few years ago by the
Sunday at home" it stood seventh in
list of one hundred hymns which
were regarded the best in the esteem
of the readers of that magazine. Only
such beautiful hymns as Topiady's
Crock of Ages" and Lyte's "Ablde
With Me-" Wesley's "Jesus, Loyer OF
My Soul" and Elllott's ust as AM
outranked it, It Is futher said to be
the fayorite of the Prince of Wales,
though this is not high commerda-
ton necessarily, as the Prince is not
reputed authority On sacred songs.
It may not prove uninteresting to
the reader to review the origin OF
this justly famous hymn. Nearer,
My God, to Thee" first appeared in
volume of "Hymns and Anthems" pub
lished by Rev. William johnson Fox,
in 1910. The author of the hymn was
a woman, Mrs. Sarah Flower Adams.
It is significant fact to note in pass
ing that many of our most popular
hymns which have been written during
the present century have been compos-
ed by women. Witness the names OF
Misses Gary, Crosby, Prentiss, Palmer,
Gates, Walker, Slade, Reed, Mackay,
Baxter and HAWKS, whose contrlhu-
tions haye greatly enriched our sacred
lyrics. A circumstance worthy ct note
in connection with the origin Of this
hymn is the fact that the authoress
was the daughter of a couple who first
met In Newgate Gaol, as Mr.. Stead
informs US IN his excellent little book,
"Hymns That Have Helped Her
father had been sent to Jail for six
months as a punishment for the
"heinous crime of defending the
French Revolution and criticislng the
political conduct of certain Bishop
Watson, now fortunately forgotten"
"Perhaps," continues Mr.. Stead, In
his comments on this hymn, "the sole
permanent result and chief end CT this
Bishop Watson's lite was to contribute
remotely and unlntentionally to the
production of this hymn. He was
not unimportant link in the chain OF
circumstances of which this hymn
with its far-reaching influences, is but
the latest outcome. For instance, Il
Mr.. Flower-Mrs. Adams maiden
name was Flower-had not been NOV
ed to indignation by the turpitude o.
Bishop Watson's political conduct, he
would never, ever in 1889, have beer
fined hundred pounds, and sent tc
Newgate for six months. II he hae
i, never been sent to gaol, Miss Ellzt
Gould would never haye been prompt
ed to visit him there, and SO lay ths
foundation of an acquaintance which
ripened into love and marriage. 0
, that marriage Mrs. Adams was th'
fruit. If her parents had never met, Q
course she would never have been borl
. and this hymn never would haye beer
!. written. Therefore may we not sa.
that the causa causans OF one OF th
most touching hymns in the Christian
hymnal was some long-ago forgotten
political offepse perpetrated by an An
+ glican Bishop?"
Such, then, is the origin OF this beat
= tiful hymn, now Sc familiar and pre-
cious to so many souls. The autborcss
q as is perhaps we'll known, was I'm
70 tartan, and the name Of Christ doc
not once occur in the entire hymn.
"a is for this reason that some jeaioH
If Trlnitarians haye objected to the sui
e stitution of some Of the original star
y zas or by the addition OF others thert
~ to, to adapt it to the worship OF Chris
n None Of these attempts, hewever, ha;
of found acceptance; and Nearer, NJ
e. God, to Thee," despite its Unitarla
se s authorship, still continues to enjc
le SPANS GREATEST NEED.
~ ~ Mr.. R. P. Oiiyia, OF Barcelona, Spai