The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-05-29
JULIA WAED HOWE
FAMOUS AUTHOR

| pditS VI tue NOuutlss bht spent 'hN
day quietly with her family at her
home on Beacon street. 1t being de-
sired, owing to her advanced years,
to spare her all unnecessary fatigue,
although approaching the many kind
greetings and messages, she received
only a few intimate friends outside
the family circle.
Mrs. Howe is in good health con-
sidering her age, and looked forward
with great interest to the fortleth
anniversary of the New England
Woman's club. of which she is presi-
dent. The anniversary exercises
were held in the South Congrega-
tional church, and Mrs. Howe was
able to be present for a brief time.
striking Figure of Period.
Always woman OF singularly
broad interests, Mrs. Howe was one
of the striking figures of the half
century that eliminated in the civil
war. She attained distinction in the
fields of literature, politics and phil
anthropy, and her exalted patriotism
furnished the northern soldiers with
the famous Battle Hymn of the
Republic"
She was born in New York City.
From her mother, Julia Rush Ward,
she inherited an uncommonly bril-
liant mind and a taste for letters,
and upon her marriage to Dr.. SAM
uel Gridley Howe, the philanthropist,
in 1S43 she began conducting with
him the Boston Commonwealth. The
policy of this paper was strongly anti
slavery and it continued to mold pub
lie sentiment until the conclusion of
the war had disposed of that issue.
Mrs. Howe then transferred her at
tention to other public questions, de-
voting her gifts TO promoting prison
reform. the cause of universal peace
and universal suffrage.
For almost fifty years she has been
before the public as a writer and lee
turer on social matters and during
the period of the early '90s she fire.
quently appeared in Unitarian pub
pits. Her best known literary work
is undeniably "The Battle Hymn of
the Republic" which was written in
1851 while she was visiting the
camps near Washington. This poem
was printed first in the Atlantic
Monthly. Among her other writings
are "Passion Flowers" "Words for
the Hour" "a Life OF Margaret
Fuller" and her fascinating "Reml-
niscences."
Visits Union Camps.
The writing of the famous hymn
followed a visit to the union lines
made with the intention of witness
ing a review. As It CHANGED a por-
tion of the rebel forces attacked un-
expectedly and Mrs. Howe was soon
the center of a miniature battle. On
the way back those of her party be-
gan singing war songs to cheer the
soldiers and she conceived the idea
Of writing fresh words to be sung
with the tune of "John Brown" The
actual words were arranged in their
final form the next morning while
Mrs. Howe lay in bed in a darkened
room beside her infant children.
The HYMN, which is now known to-
millions, runs:
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the
coming of the Lord;
where the grapes of wrath are
stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning
of his terrible, swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
have seen Him in the watch fires of
a hundred circling camps;
They have builded him an altar in
the evening dews and damps;
/ have read His righteous sentence
by the dim and flaring lamps;
His day is marching on.
have read a fiery gospel writ in
FURNISHED rows of steel;
"As We deal with my contemners, so
with you my grace shall deal;
LET the hero, born of woman, crush
the serpent with his heel.
since God is marching on
He has sounded forth the trumpet
that shall never call retreat;
He is sitting out the hearts of men
before His judgment seat.
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer
Him.. be jubilant, my feet.
Our God is marching on.
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was
born across the sea,
With n glory in his bosom that trans
figured You and me;
As He died to make men holy, let
us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.
Faddist Visitor-"Are you allowed
in this prison any exercise beneficial