The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-12-18
NEARER, MY GOD, TO THEE.

l
 Frcm tho Scotsman.
 ftrba author of Nearer. My God, to rhean was a woman. Sarah Flower Adams. She was an English woman porn in the little village of Harlow in the year 1895. Though there are not many at this aav who have ever heard of her she wen m small amount of fame as a poet and writer during her life, and for many years after her memory was cherished by the literary world Of London.
 She was Robert Browning's first love It was to her alone Of all his friends that he showed the first volume of poems, and fl is said to have been through her efforts that his poems were published and given to the world.
 She was a Unitarian and member or the congregation of William Johnson Fox the noted Unitarian preacher of London Because of the fact that sine belonged to this denomination there were a number of churches, especially the Methodist and Baptist. that refused to include for many years Nearer, My God, to Thee In Their hvmnals. A Unitarian was regarded as heretie, if not an infdel, as 1t was 
 reference to Christ The hymn was writ ten in the year 1S4o and set to music by Eliza Flower, an elder sister of the au- thor
 In addition to his religious work Rev. MT. Fox edited a literary magazine, to which Sarah was frequent contributor She became much interested in the writ ings of a contributor who signed himser "Iunius Redivivus" She did not know who he was, but she took occasion to ad- dress a note to him in care of the mega- zine, expressing her admiration of his work She signed this with her nom de guorre, "S. Y.." which represented her pct name Of sallle.
 Without revealing his identity "Junius Redivivus" replied acknowledging her courtesy and returning the compliment with some commendatory criticism of the work of "S Y" This led to further cor respondence on topics of mutual literary interest until there was established be- tween the two unknown writers cordial friendship and understanding, while Miss Flowers admiration for her masked charmer found added justification in his delightful and scholarly letters.
 This was in the year 1883. Miss Flower was then 2S years old and it was during that year that she met MT. Adams, her future husband. He was a civil engineer and a man of eminent attainments as a scientist and a scholar. An instant attach ment sprang up between him and Miss Flower, and during the engagement which | c1,a more than delighted to discover that the choice of her heart was none other than "Junius Revidivus."
 They were married within a year after their engagement, and the marriage proved to be, in its joys and its comrade- ship, all that their fond hearts had an- ticipated.
 For many years it had been Mrs. Adams ambition to go on the stage. With the ap- proval and encouragement of her husband she now found the first opportunity of realizing her great ambition, and she pre- pared herself for the task. Her first ap- pearance was at small theatre in Rich mond in the role of Lady Macbeth. It was decided success, and was followed at once by f1attering offer from a theatri" cal manager.
 But on the very threshold of what promised to be a famous career her health compelled her to relnquish the cherished dream of her life. It was sad and cruel blow Yet she bore 1t with cheerfulness and a fortitude' that ever characterized her lovable disposition.
 Her nature was markedly religious and devotional As a girl and young woman she had accepted without question all that her parents had taught her in their strict religious training. But as she grew older her heart was many times troubled with doubts and misgivings. She felt that she was drifting from the cherished tradl- tions of childhood And out of the heart aches and bangs of many years of spirit ual suffering was born at last this most inspiring and most comforting of the worlds greatest hymns, Nearer, My God, to Thee"