Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-11-21
For Sunday Reading
Ill Sorts ofOpiniions
Sinalna Exanaelists.

To have been sponsor for book tnal
has sold into the fifty million copies is
probably the unique achievement of the
singing evangelist, the late Ira ID. San
key. Gospel Hymns" which he edited.
and to which ne contributed a good
many of his own compositions, is re-
ported to have been Printed that
many times. Mr.. Sankey, whose later
years have been passed in private life,
on account of blindness, is recalled as
the enormously successful partner OF
the late Dwight L. Moody. Even Mr..
Moodys own success, great as it was,
is said not to have begun until he
induced the young gospel singer to join
forces with him. with his musical
the Chicago Inter-Ocean, Ira ID. San
key, appealed to the feelings which
must be stirred If men are to be
brought to do effectively what their
reason tells them they should do" In
an editorial appreciation Of Mr.. San
key who died at his home in Brook
Ign on Aug. 10. The Inter Ocean not
only pays high tribute to the worth
Of the singers work, but tells the
story of one of his most effective sacred
songs--;l song that has hardly escaped
mention in any of the numerous trib-
!, utes printed since the announcement OF
Mr. Sankey's end. HE will be longest
remembered" it says. "as the COM
poser of The Ninety and Nine We
| read further:
"Those who believe that men are
now and then directly inspired by a
power higher than themselves to do
great deeds find support for that be-
, lief in the circumstances under which
The Ninety and Nine was composed
and. first performed
MOODY and Sankey had been In
vited to Great Britain to conduct re-
| ligious meetings, In which they had
been so successful in the United States.
Their work in Glasgow had been very
effective, and they were on their way
to Edinburgh. AS they took the train
there came into Mr.. Sankey's hands
news paper, clipping containing the
words of The Ninety and Nine, writ
ten by Elizabeth Clephane.
| mr.. Sankey was struck with the
dramatic fervor of its presentation OF
! the truth that no human soul, however
strayed and apparently lost, is be-
yond Gods love and care; but no mu-
steal expression Of this thought inn
madiately occurred to him, and the
verses were dropped into pocket.
! "The first meeting Of the evangelists
In Edinburgh was largely attended,
and the hearers were interested, but
did not seem specially sympathetic. AS
!! the meeting drew toward close a
sense CT failure crept over the leaders.
Mr.. Moody prepared to dismiss the
audience, but first asked Mr. Sankey
to sing something.
"Sankey, as he told it afterward
himself. had taken out the poem of
The Ninety and Nine'-he did not
know why-and was reading it. AS he
arose to go to the organ he was con-
scious that he ought to do something
that would really stir that apathetic
congregation. and he prayed for help.
"He laid the verses on the desk and
began to play and sing the words
without knowing what the next note
would be. When he got thru the first
stanza he was not sure that he could
remember what he had sung and so go
on with the second; and thus he felt
| his way from line to line and from word
to word to the end And the audience
was in tears when he finished"