The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-05-21
HOLD THE FORT. FOR AM COMING.

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was guarded by General Corse with
1,5OO men. It was a strong strategic
point and, moreover, a million and
a half of ratiOns we're stored there.
Fresich, the Southern General, with
5000 men, attacked the garrison and
drove the defenders into a small
fort on the crest of the hill. The
battle was fierce; the Northern sol
diers fell in such numbers that fur
Their fighting seemed folly. But one
of Corse's officers caught sight of
a white signal flag f~uttering in the
breeze on the top of Kenesaw Noun
tain, across the valley, fifteen miles
away. The signal was answered,
and then came the inspiring message
from mountain to mountain: "HOld
the fort a; I am coming.-W. T. Sher-
man." Cheer after cheer went up,
and though hopelesslY reduced in
numbers they did hold the fort for
hours until the advance-guard of
Sherman's army come to their relief.
Six years later, P. P. Bliss, the
evangelist, heard the story in all it's
vivid detail from a soldier friend,
and then wrote the words and music
of this famous hymn.
STAND UP! STAND UP FOR JESUS.
'Stand up for Jesus" was the dy-
ing message of Rev. Dudley A.
Tying to those associated with him
in the great revival in Philadelphia
in 1853. Rev. George Duffield
preached the funeral sermon, and
the words of this hymn we're merely
a concluding exhortation. The Sun
day School superintendent had the
verses printed on a lea1et for the
children they we're copied by a Bap-
fist weekly and thence started on
their mission of help and inspira-
ton, in many languages and many
lands.
THERE'S a LANE THAT Is FAIRER THAN
DAY.
In 1857 this hymn, known as ''The
Sweet By and By" was written at
Elkhorn, Wis, by S. Fillmore Ben
nett, who was associated with J. P.
Webster in arranging a new cOllec-
ton of hymns. Webster was
vous, sensitive and easily discour-
aged. One day, when very blue, he
went into Benefits office, and when
asked "What's the matter, now?"
answered, cit is no matter, it will
be all right by and by" The idea
flashed into Benefits mind, as he
then expressed it, was " The Sweet
By and By! Why wouldn't hat
make d good hymn" Turning to a
table he at once wrote the words
Webster jotted down the music as if
inspired. Half an hour later two
musical friends entered the room
and it was sung by the quartet.
JESUS, LOVER OF MY SOUL.
One day Charles Wesley was sit
ting by an open window, looking
over the beautiful fields, when he
saw a little bird pursued by a hawk
The poor thing, weak and frightened,
in seeking to escape from it's enemy,
flew into the room and found refuge
in Wesley's bosom. As the poet was
then in great trouble and needed the
safety of a refuge, the consolation
of help from a higher power than
his own, the incident seemed to him
a divine message and, thus inspired,
he wrote the famous hymn.
BLEsT BE THE TIE THAT BINDS.
Rev. John Fawcett, an English
Baptist, was pastor of a poor little
church near Moinsgate in Yorkshire.
His family and responsibilities were
large, his salary was less than four
dollars a week. In 1872 he felt
forced to accept a call to a London
church. His farewell sermon had
been preached, six wagons loaded
with furniture and books stood bv
the door. His congregation, men.
women and children, were in an
agony of tears. DR.. Fawcett and
his wife sat down on a packing case
and cried with the others. Looking
up Mrs. Fawcett said, "Oh, John.
John l cannot bear this I know
not where to go!' Nor I, either"
said he "nor will we go. Unload
the wagons and put ever thing back
in its old place" His letter of accep-
lance to the London church was re-
called and he wrote this hymn to
commemorate the episode