The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-18
SONGS SWAY WARS Of
RELIGION AND KINGS
HYMNS IMPORTANT IN SOME OF
GREATEST BATTLES. :,
Verses that Spur Christian Workers
Also Give Cheer to the Soldiers on
a Cory Battlefelds- D.. sankey,,
Great Singer evivalist, Gives His
tory Of Famous Songs. - 4

Since Moses and the Children Of
srael sang ~ will sing unto the
Lord, for He hath triumphed glorious
W all religious movements have been
accompanied by song, and the gospel
lynn has long since been household
act: ...-.
There can scarcely be any man more
thoroughly cenversant with the gospel
lymns Of today, or of yesterday, for
hat matter, than Ira D. Sankey, whose
ong and eventful life of religious
singing and exhortation is coming to
close. Luckily before. blindness over
5ook him, he found time to write his
biography and his personal knowledge
If gospel hymns and their history in
volume entitled: "Sankey's Story Of
The Gospel Hymns !
Excerpts from Mr.. Sankey's fStory
IF the Gospel Hymns follow here:
A Mighty Fortress. J.
mighty fortress is Our God, Il!
a bulwark never failing.
Martin Luther, the great leader OF
the Reformation, is the author of both
the words and music of this famous
hymn, probably written in 1921. This
Rev. DR.. F. H. Hedge. During the
prolonged contest Of the Reformation
period ga Mighty Fortress was of
benefit and comfort to the
Protestant people, and it became the
national hymn of Germany. Gustavus
the hero of the thirty-year
war, adopted it as his battle hymn,
when he was leading his troops to meet
Wallenstein.
At the Gross. =
Alas! and did my Savior bleed?
And did my Sovereign die:
cat the Cross is the name of the
new tune by R. E.. Hudson for the old
hymn by Watts, "Alas, and Did My
Savior Bleed?" The words were first
published in Watts "Hymns and
Spiritual Songs" in 1907, under the
title,s@e Cody Sorrow Arising from the
Sufferings of Christi
Blessed Assurance.
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. :,
o, what foretaste of glory divine.
"During the recent war in the
Transvaal,' said a gentleman at my
meeting in Exeter hall, London, in
1900, "when the soldiers going to the
front were passing another body of
soldiers whom they recognized, their
greetings used to be, -Four nine-four!
boys; four-nip e-four!' and the salute
would invariably be answered with,
six further on, boys; six further on
The significance of this was that in
Sacred Songs and Solos, a number Of
copies of the small edition of which
had been semitic the front, number
494 was God be with you till we
meet again., and six further on than
494, or No. 500, was "Blessed assur-
ance, Jesus is mine. -
Dark Is the Night
When I was chorister in Mr.. Moodv's
Sunday school, on the North Side Of
Chicago, we frequently used this hymn.
On the memorable Sunday night when
the city was destroyed by fire, and I
had made my escape in small boat
out into Lake Michigan, this song
came to my mind, and as 1 sat there
watching the city burn, I sang:
Dark is the night, and cold the wind is blowing.
Nearer and nearer comes the breakers roar;
Where shall go, or whittier fly for refuge?
Hide me, my Father, till the storm is DER.
God Be With You.
. God be with you till we meet againA
By His counsels guide, uphold you.
The late DR.. Rankin, president OF
Howard university. Washington, D. c.,
said regarding this oft-used parting
hymn: "Written in 1882 as Chris
tian goodby, it was called forth by no
person or occasion, but was deliberately
composed as Christian hymn on the
basis of the etymology of 'geodby,'
| which is God be with you
My Country, IT'S of Thee
The words Of this popular hymn, now
known as the national hymn of Amer
lea, were written in 1882 by S. F.
Smith, DID, Dr. Smith says: 81 found
the tune in German music book,
brought to this country by the late
William c.. Woodbridge, and put into
my hands by Lowell Mason The real
origin of the tune is much disputed,
but the credit is usually given to
Henry Carey. The hymn was first sung
at children's Fourth of July celebra-
ton in the Park Street church. Boston.
Onward, Christian Soldiers.
Onward, Christian soldiers,
| Marching to war
Written for a special occasion, the