The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-01
STRAINS OF SWEET BYE AND BYE
RECALL OLD DAYS TO A SENATE
AVENUE PEDESTRIAN.
Title OF some Immortal Hymns and
Stories Of Their Origin-Fsmous
Song writers.

S time hymn The solitary pedestrian
who hurried down Senate avenue at about
the intersection OF Tenth. stopped TO listen
1t was II O'Clock and the sweet old tune fell
on the ears OF the man. troubled as he was
with thoughts OF lfe's incessant struggle,
Ike benedction.
Its the Sweet Bye and Bye he said to
himself, and I haven't heard it in years"
He waited for the second verse to begin and
listened tin the last note died away. The
music came from house that set back in
the shadows OF wooded lawn. The blinds
were drawn and the house looked dark. The
man who stood outside and waited wondered
why this old-fashioned melody should be
sung at such time. The voices were those
OF trained singers. He wondered if it could
be a church choir practicing for the Sunday
service The fact that the song was one that
was relegated to the village choir many
years ago told him he was wrong. His final
conclusion might have been the correct one.
lie decided that some one lay Ill in the
house-some one who enjoyed the songs Of
earlier days-and that little company of
singers had been asked to come in and join
their voices in the good old melody that
must have been sweet music to the ears Of
the stricken one
They had started on another verse as he
started down the street. 1t recalled old mem
cries Of the village choir and the old-fash-
toned family organ and the tuning fork. The
musical director who would stand up before
his fashionable choir these days, bite the
prongs OF the tuning fork and hold the in
strument to his ear to get the right pitch be-
fore starting the hymn would be laughed
out or church no doubt. A story is told of
good Elder Van Clesve. a veteran Baptist
minister OF Charlottesville, who is now with
the saints. Years ago when he used to lead
the singing in his church a new man from
the East joined his flock. The new member
brought with him new ideas and among
them was the tuning fork. Elder Van Cleave
did not take to it and one morning in his SER
mon he alluded to the new musical director.
There is Brother Johnson" said he, want
ing to teach us to sing by note-now, what
does God Almighty know about notes?'
SUNG WITH ROUSING EFFECT.
Men and women who went to church
twenty-five and even fifty years ago have
not forgotten some of the hymns that used
20 be sung with rousing effect. Who does no
remember the old hymn. the first line or two
of the first verse OF which ran, There is a
land OF pure delight. where saints immortal
reign This used to be a favorite hymn to
close the revival service with and was
known as an Invitation hymn. A favorite
verse ran:
Could but climb where Moses stood,
And view the landscapes Ger.
Not Jordan's stream nor deaths cold food
Should fright from the shore.
This song was written by Isaac Watts, a
young Englishman, who, when eighteen
years old, became Disguised with the un.
graceful rhymes that were used in the
church he attended. He got his inspiration
while sitting at his window in Southampton.
He looked across the River Itchen. and be-
yond was the Isle of Wight, glorious in its
spring verdure and foliage. A story is told
OF a poor soldier during the Crimean war.
who, bitterly cold night. suffered so in
tensely that he resolved to commit suicide.
He heard voice singing. There is a land
of pure delight" etc. and was so inspired
with hope that he called out to the singer.
who came to him and helped him.
Another good old hymn is the one written
by Phoebe Carey, which used to be so popu-
lar and is yet sung occasionally. The first
verse ran like this:
One sweetly solemn thought
Comes TO me DER and DER.
Than I have ever been before.
IL is a matter OF history that this eloquent
old song once drove a man out OF Chinese
gambling hell. Two men were playing the
great American game OF poker. in the far
away Orient. Both were Americans. One was
very young man and the other was a mar
OF forty. In the midst of the clinking OF
glasses and in the profanity and the gener-
ally immoral atmosphere. the young fellow
leaned back in his chair, yawned lazily and
began TO sing. lone sweety solemn
thought etc. His companion threw dowr
his cards. pushed his brandy bottle away
from him and rose from the table. Where
did you hear that song, Harry?' he asked
'Oh, over in America, I guess" said the
young man carelessly. well, 1 can't stand
1t TO hear you sing it here" said his com
panion. Tets so out Of here" They left the
resort. the older man declaring he would
never touch another card or drink another
glass OF brandy. The lines that have com.
forted so many Christian hearts awakened
an old memory in his own wicked heart and
were the cause OF his reformation Miss
Carey wrote the song in 1852. Il composed II
I'm little back. third-story bedroom on.
Sunday morning after coming home from
church." she once said.
IN SOME UNUSUAL PLACE
Now and then one hears Of an old church
hymn being sung in some unusual place
usually with view 10 retaining som,
fallen one. One OF the ancient hymns was
perhaps. never sung under more remarkable
circumstances than is described by Gilbert
Parker in that unhappy story known a.
THE Right OF Way" Parker tells how th,
hero Of the story. Charley Steele, leaned
against the bar in the low river resort. anc
in the midst OF a mob OF desperate ruffian:
who were thirsting for his blood. cOolly
sang.
on the other side OF Jordan.
In the sweet fields OF Eden.
Where the tree OF life IL blooming
There is rest for you.
Perhaps one OF the most popular OF tn,
older hymns is the good old missionary tune
From Greenland's Icy Mountain
Every church congregation in this countr,
and England has. no doubt. sung it. 1t /.
among the oldest OF the church hymns On,
of the most interesting occasions connected
with the singing OF this hymn was that OF I