The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-04-30

Henry Ward Beecher said: Hymns
are the Jewels which the church has
worn, the pearls, the diamonds, the
precious stones formed INTO amulets
more potent against sorrow and sad
ness than the most famous charm Of
the wizard or the magician. And he
who knows the way that hymns
flowed, knows where the blood Of
true piety ran, and can trace its
veins and arteries to the very heart.
OF all the hymns not one is more
frequently sung than Nearer, My
God. to Thee" and it is also safe
to say that no hymn ever written has
caused more deep thought and more
comfort to the singer and listener
than nave the beautiful words of
Sarah Flower Adams, a gifted Eng
liSh omar Mrs. Adams was truly
inspired when she wrote this hymn.
There is deep pathos in the personal
history Of the author at the time
she composed the words which, set
to Lowell Mason's "~Bethany,' have
been sung in nearly every tongue and
cline in the world
Sarah Flower was born early in
the last century and was the young
er Of the two daughters OF Benjamin
L OOAh VI "I1OIh ~CIc eACcp-
t~ionally talented. Eliza as a COM
poser Of music. and Sarah as a COM
poser OF verse. In 1884 Sarah mar
ried William Bridges Adams, a civil
engineer. In person she is said to
a been tall and remarkably beau
tiful. and Of most engaging man
nerS.
The hymn. Nearer, MY Cod, to
Thee was suggested to the writer
L., -
Bethel, as found in Genesis rs: 1922.
although it met with some favor it
was not until 1860 that Or. Lowell
Mason's beautiful and sympathetic
music "quickened it into glorious
life and to find an abiding place in
the hearts of the people.
Mrs. Adams died in 1S4S when she
had reached the age Of forty-three,
two years after the death of her
sister Eliza. who died unmarried, At
the same age. She survived long
enough to find how universally popu-
lar had become her pathetic appeal
Of the Christian.
Many interesting stories r told in
connection with the usefulness Of
this hymn. In the great Peace
Jubilee which was held in Boston in
1872 this hymn was sung by nearly
fifty thousand voices. to DR.. Mason's
music; the composer, then in his
eighty-frst year. being present. He
died the following August.
It was sung in the great Chris
tan Endeavor Convention held in
Philadelphia in December, 1900, by a
choir Of fifteen hundred voices direct
ed by H. c.. Lincoln, and at its con
%clusion President Eberman said
thoughtfully: Il wonder if we shal
ever listen to such singing on earth
again?'
on one occasion three distinguished
travellers in Palestine heard in the
distance faint snatches Of a familia,
tune. and on drawing near found 4
group Of Syrian students reverently
; singing in Arabic Nearer, MY God
to Thee" One OF the hearers. il
relating the story. said that the sing
ing OF the hymn by these youthful
4 natives moved him to tears and af
t fected him more deeply than anvthin.
: Of the kind to which he had eve
listened.
; To American hearts it has becom,
q dearer beca use our martvred Mckin
T ley loved it. In the words of Nearer
Mn God. to Thee the tender. loving
faithful nature of Mckinley con|.
5 find expression. His last intelligihl
words. Spoken just before his sou
took its fight. were: Nearer, NJ,
God. to Thee. cen though it be
cross. has been my constant praver.
At the funeral service in Canton tn
vast and distinguished audience Stoo.
at the close. with teaT-dinmed ewes
while the hymn was sung. and no
only in our own country bat III ever
part OF the world, Mrs. Adams hymr
was sung on September 10. 1907. a
the memorial services held in homo
Of the martyred President and
would be safe to estinltt. mat nf.
million people on that dan voice
u the words Of Nearer. Ny rod. +
The.