The Irish standard., 1901-11-16
M'KINLEY's FAvOR1TE HYMN.
Beautiful Imagery of the Piece Based
Upon Sublime Picture in
Hebrew Scripture.

| Upon Sublime Picture in
Hebrew Scripture.
The hymn, Nearer, My God, to
Thee," the words of which President
Mckinley repeated just before his
death, has an interesting history,
writes contributor to the Philadel.
phia North American.
| Perhaps no hymn since the publica-
ton of Perronet's "All Hail the Power
Of Jesus Name" in 1855, has received
so wide and deserving popularity.
1t finds place in all collections of
hymns in the English tongue, and is
favorte alike in Trinitarian and
Unitarian churches. 1t has been
translated into many languages, and
has followed the trumphs of the Cos
pei in heather lands.
| 1t is the best metrical expression Of
the desire for a more intimate spirit.
ual acquaintance with God. and the
riches of His grace, that we have in
| modern psalmody. 1t is fresh and
touching expression of the same yearn-
ing aspirations toward God that we
prize in Cowpcr's "Oh, for Closer
! Walk with God" which it succeeded
in popular favor. 1t expresses will
ingness to know God through the dis
cipline of affection.
Its imagery embraces the associa.
tons of one of the most sublime in
tercsting religious experiences record
ed in the early Hebrew scriptures,
Jacobs vision at Luz. "And he lighted
upon a certain place" says the Scrip
ture of Jacobs wanderings, land tar
ried there all night, because the sun
was set; and he took of the stones Of
that pace and put them for his pillows,
and lay down in that place to sleep.
And he dreamed, and behold ladder
set up on the earth. and the top of it
reached TO heaven; and behold the am
gels of God ascending and descending
on it. And Jacob rose up early
in the morning and took the stone
that he had put for his pillows and set
it for a pillar and poured oil upon the
top of it. And he called the name OF
that place Bethel" this event being
brought to mind in the figures in the
fourth stanza:
| "Then with my waking thoughts.
Bright with Thy praise.
Out of my stony grief.
Bethel I'll raise:
| So by my woes to be
| Nearer, my God. to Thee.
| Nearer to Thee"
Mrs. Sarah Flower Adams, author
of the hymn, was daughter of Benz
iamin Flower, an English writer and
editor. She was born in 1905. Her
mother, Il woman Of culture, died early
in life. There were two daughters,
| Sarah and Eliza. The strongest at
tachmcnt existed between them. Both
possessed the fine feelings of their
mother, and were fond of books,
, music, poetry and art. Their aesthetic
tastes ruled even in childhood, and
girlhood 10 them was glowing sea-
son of aspiration and expectancy.
| Eliza turned her attention to music
and musical composition, and her
sister TO religious poetry. They were
Unitarian in their church relations,
but their picty was gagged by de-
vo,ional feeling and high religious at
tainmcnts, rather than by dcnomina.
tionnl requirements or scctarian views.
ELIZA Flower" says Il critic, "at-
tanned Il higher rank in musical COM
| position han before her time had been
reached by any Of her SEX" Sarah
Flower made The composition of poe.
try her occupation, while her sister
pursued her musical studies. In 1884
she married William Bridges Adams.
an eminent engineer and n contributor
to the best periodical literature. In
| 1871 she published dramatic poem in
five acts, entitled "Vivia Perpetual"
Regarding "Vivia Perpetual" as tho
fruit of their joint aspirations and
studies, she dcdcatcs it to her sister
in lines in which occur the following
! tender sentiments:
"ln thy content | win wreath moro
bright
Than enrth's wide garden ever could sup.
ply:
Ah. nc! think me stlll how POOR strain.
And fly for refuge to Thy love again"
Her sisters health beginning to dc.
cline, aud evidences Of pulmonary con-
sumption appearing. Mrs. Alamsgde.
voted herself To ttlc invalid's room
with nncrnsiny wntchfulncss and self.
fnrgctful care. Eliza Flower died in
1Sl1. Mrs. Adams never recovered
from the shock of he separation. Her
religious aspirations, always strong,
seemed now to receive a heavenly i'm.
Pulse. Her health gradually declined,
and in 1919, two years a ftcr her sisters
death, she too peacefully fell asleep.
In her hymn she gives expression to
the following expectations:
"Or. If on joyful wing.
chewing the sky.
Si;r. mnoi! ana stars forgot,
Upward ny.
StI!. all my song shall be.
Nearer. my God to Thee,
Nearer To Thee"
This hope seems to have been almost
literally fulfilled in her death. We are
told that almost her last breath burst
into unconscious song"
Noise ms n Factor in Deafness.
Among the causes of deafness
hereditary prrdisposition plays an i'm.
portant part. 1t is well known that
deafness is hereditary in many fami.
lies, so that part or all of them are