Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-27

formed in a great pyramid before him
and 5000 musicians rendered the great
composition. At the great triumphal
note his friends expected to see the
composer filled with pride, but instead
his eyes swelled up with tears and ne
threw out his hands and said: l would
give it all for few days of the past
| and peace How many, when we have
come in possession of that for which we
have strived, find that it has cost so
much of principle, conscience or vital
energy that would say I would give it
all for few days of the past?'
But not so of the chord of life, of
the song of Immortality. 1 hear it's note
of Immortality through the ages and
through the long, troublous centuries
the hymns live on with just as much
vitality, century after century. The
note of redemption time cannot dim,
storms cannot sweep away and the
emptiness of the grave cannot dim its
story.
mo pen could tell of the songs of
the church, the sobs of the penitents,
the martyrs, saints and the awakening
souls. Where is there a stretch of
heaven that could hold the story of the
hymn, Just as 1 Am or of our late
president who winged his way to glory
on Nearer, Ny God, to Thee? What
angel could tell the history of the i'm
mortal hymn Rock of Ages
Rock of Ages
Throw open the doors of all the
libraries of all the nations and let us
marshal down the list of different ex-
pressions. OF the countless procession
there are books of every character and
description. In the front ranks of The
procession we find Rock of Ages We
hear of books that have had ten, f1f-
teen and twenty editions, but after
their march they turn aside. Then to
the pyramid of all these volumes and
at the very top 1 find the Rock of
Ages which history tells us is the
only one that has been translated into
as many languages as one, and that is
the Bible.
"The Bible reaches out and takes
Rock of Ages by the hand. To the
prince and the pauper it has been a
solace, from ten thousand churches IT
has gone UP as the most precious in
cense The woodman has sung it in
the woods; the tired factory girl has
sung it at the wheel; the mariner has
lifted uo his voice with the tune in
the storm; little children have been
hushed with it upon their mothers
bosom.
THE 81 at unshakable eternal rock.
! shall want it to die on and you will
which my mother clung, Rock of Ages,
cleft for me, I will hide nyself'-blessed
be heaven for such a gospel. In this
redemption song I hear the note OF
the penitent.
"One morning, almost when new
cay was breaking, young anc beau-
tiful girl Of IS tripped from her car
riage and went to her room, where she
| threw her beautiful opera cloak across
chair and walked the room attired as
she was in her beautiful ball gown OF
| white satin, on which were beautifui
| jewels cleaning, and in her hair the
| jewels seemed to be playing hide-and
seek She PAGES back and forth. This
young girl, beautiful, accomplished and
popular, asks what it all counts Tor.
Origin of Song
"'What is it all to me when my heart
aches? The dance was never more
swift, but what is it to me when my
heart aches? / remember when l
knelt at my mothers knee and what
kind of a woman was l to be!
"Then this young girl went to her
little desk and, kneeling, still in her
beautiful gown, took pen and paper,
and dipping her pen into the ink.
think there must have been something
of immortality in it, wrote, Just as l
am, without one plea, but that thy
| blood was shed for me- Ink and tears
were all mixed up and she smiled until
her tears turned into drops OF dew.
1.-The redemption song is triumph in
death, the one dark valley through
which all must pass. One great hour
of good by is death. 1t is like sailing
away on ship. The near and dear
ones come to say good by and wave
until the last, leaning forward to call
the last message, but the three bells
will ring like three death knells IN
the heart. The book is closed, its
deaths last slow march to the grave.
Is there aught that can make us say,
oh. death, where is thy victory? Oh,
grave, where is thy sting? Yes, yes,
ten thousand sing the Redemption
song, the hurrahs and hosannahs OF
the redemption song
Following the address of Miss Booth,
Mr.. and Mrs Baker, the blind singers,
rendered selection in which the conf
mander was greatly interested, and
during the final verse Miss Booth, with
her long, flowing cape of blue lined
. with red falling in graceful folds,
went over and spoke to the blind sing
ers, asking them to sing triumphant
; song of Christianity, which they did.
w. e. McVey made short address
in behalf Of the Y. M. c. A. and the
service closed with benediction by
Commissioner Kilby.
"R,lt - nrotested Miss Jolkeley, 81 as