The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28
MRS. AUTHOR THINK WHEN READ THAT SWEET
STORY OLD" WILL BE SOLD OUT FOR GOVERNMENT TAXES
Rather Than Pay for Education in
an Alien Greed, Aged Writer
Makes a Sacrifice.

spring there is TO be a little auction sale
at Newport. Isle OF Wight that is like
~ 70 stir the blood OF every one in the
United States who has ever sung in
Sunday-school that sweet old hymn, Il
Think When Read That Sweet Story
OF Old" written by Mrs. Jemima Luke.
The aged author Of that hymn has re-
fused. for conscience sake, TO pay
tax imposed by the British Government
for the education of children in an
Episcopal creed. in which the gentle old
lady, being a COngregatiOnalist, cannot
believe So in due course she is 10 re-
ceive a visitation from the Sheriff's Of
fcers and enough OF her small property
is TO be seized and sold to satisfy the
unyielding demands Of a law not unlike
that which drove the Pilgrim fathers
from Plymouth. England, TO Plymouth
Rock. Massachusetts.
Mrs. Luke is only one of an army Of
God-fearing folk who are ready to pay
the rest Of their taxes but have vowed 10
withhold that part which was 10 be de-
voted 10 compulsory education Of their
children in religious doctrines in which
the parents did not believe. At present
there are 100000 of these passive resist
date Of writing 7400 Of them have been
served with summonses, and more or
less household goods Of $50 have been
sold 10 satisfy the Government.
MUST YIELD TO THE LAW.
Mrs Luke writes me that the tax
gatherer has not yet called for her con-
tribution 10 this fund, but that when
ever he does call she viii not pay il and
viii submit 10 the consequent summons
and sale. Her daughter-in-.aw, Mrs E
r. Luke Of Manchester, who is equally
nrm in her belief that the education
rate, as it is called is iniquitous, has
already been summoned 10 court and
had enough Of her goods sold 10 meet
The amount she has withheld.
You may be sure that in the case of
Mrs Jemima Luke the education rate
has not been resisted from motives Of
economy. as can be judged from lit
lie note / received from her the other
day. I had asked her for a photograph
and some Information about herself,
and on receipt Of il I sent 10 her
modest check 10 cover the expense ana
trouble In which I had involved her.
That check came back by return mail,
with this little note;
I thank YOU much for your kind in
closure. but 1 do not need any repay
nent for a simple act Of courtesy If
YOU know some poor, struggling author
with a family please give il TO him. l
reinclose the check and am. yours
fsftbfuIv JENNA LUKE"
For the benefit Of applicants it may
be stated here that the poor. struggling
author with a family has been already
found.
MRS. LUKE VERY FEEBLE.
Mrs. Luke is now over 80 years old
and SO feeble in health that the writ
ing OF letters has become difficult Tor
her II may therefore be looked upon
as special favor 10 readers of this
naner that Mrs Luke wrote out for
them. in her own hand, the first stanza
Of the hymn which has made her
famous from one end Of the world TO
the other.
The author Of the hymn was might
sv surprised 10 find herself a celeb
ritv as The result Of her unpretentious
verses. not realizing that their sweet
ness and simplicity were Qualiu~ al
all rare in this wicked old world.
The details with which she supplies
me as 70 how the hymn came TO be
written seem somehow to match the
serene beauty Of the face in the ac-
companying photograph
Mrs. Luke's father, a well to do
English country gentleman named
Thompson. had been one of the found
ers Of the Sunday School Union and
the originator Of the Home Mission
arv Society in 1917. His life was large
II. given 10 organizing missionary work
ard il was only natural that his
daughter should become absorbed at
IN early age in the same interests. She
vearned 10 go TO India as a mission
arv. but the death Of her invalid
mother threw the care OF the house
ON her shoulders. Then when her
father married again and she was once
more free 10 go and had taken the
necessary course OF studies, she was
held hack by illness almost at the mo-
,nert the ship sailec and her heart
seems 10 have been almost broken by
,'b. ultimate decision that her health
vo,,ld not permit her to undertake
.s,,cb arduous work in so trying a eli
mate.
WRITES FAMOUS HYMN.
Like the brave girl she was she
plunged into Sunday school work one
morning IN IS41. when she was 2S
years old. she was travelling in one Of
the funny old fashioned coaches Of
the day 10 distant village 10 see how
one Of her missions was getting on
There was no other inside passenger
and so TO pass the time she began to
scribble verses on the back of an en-
relope By the time she had reached
her destination she had completed two
stanzss OF the HYMN by. which her
name VIII be- remembered for many a
year 90 come. A third verses was
afterward added" writes Mrs. Luke.
TO make II a missionary hymn.
never thought of printing those SIM
DIE verses. Ny father superintended
the Sunday school at the little chapel
belonging to the estate. He used 10