Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-01-10
VERMONT HYMN WRITER DEAD
Annie Sherwood Hawks Wrote,
II Need Thee Every Hour"
Dies at Age Of 81 in Bennington. Her
Home for 70 Yenrs-Last Of Fam.
Gus Trio Of Women Hymn
Writers.

Mrs. Annie Sherwood Hawks, author Of
Hour" died Thursday at Bennington at
the home of her daughter. Mrs. W. T..
Putnam, with whom she had lived for a
quarter Of q century. Mrs. Hawks was
the last. of a trio Of celebrated women
hymn writer's, the fame OF whose works
was not restricted to the land Of their
birth. Alice Holiness Fanny Crosby and
Annie Sherwood Hawks. all Of whom have
passed away within a period Of four years.
Alice Holmes died In Jersey City some
thing over three years ago and her death
was followed early In 1915 by that -
Fanny Crosby which occurred at Bridge
port, Conn. Each of the three lived to "a
venerable age and only she who was the
last to 60 was permitted to retain the
sense Of sight In her declining years.
Mrs. Hawks. whose most famous hymn,
Il Need Thee Every Hour" is said to
have been translated into more different
languages than any other production Of
its kind, was born at Hoosick, N. Y, May
q, 1885. the daughter Of Lionel Sherwood
and Caroline Bratt She was educated In
the public schools Of Hoosick and at the
Troy, N. y. seminary. out did not COM
plete the course at the latter institution
In 1853 she was married to Charles HAL
Hawks Of Hooslck, a man Of more than
ordinary culture and whose sympathy
with his wife In her literary work was her
greatest inspiration. In January. 1866, they
moved to Brooklyn. Mr.. Hawks having
become associated with New York bank
ing firm and there resided until his death
In 1883. During the last % years Mrs.
Hawks had made her home with her only
daughter. Mrs. w. f. Putnam, of this
village.
Mrs. HAWKS was always passionately
fond OF books from childhood and her
reading took a wide range She began
the writing Of verses in her 14th year
and her first published poem, which ap-
peared in Troy, N. T.. newspaper, at
tracted considerable attention. The or
iginal production was followed by 9TH
ers and she was for years a regular
contributor to newspapers and other
periodicals.
Early in life she had aniil,a.ed with
the Baptist Church. and soon after
making her home in Brooklyn she was
induced by her pastor. the late Rev.
Robert Lowrey, .. D., writer of
hymns and the author Of Shall We
Gather at the River" to turn her at
tention to these religious productions.
Among other hymns she wrote "Aii
Thine" THE Cross for Jesus" why
Weepest Thou?" and Good Night"
The hymn II Need Thee Every Hour
was composed in 1872 and was sung for
the first time at Sunday school con-
vention in Cincinnati. The deeply re-
ligious nature of the author is best il
Illustrated by her own story of its crea-
ton and written during the last years
| of her life.
whenever my attention is called to it,
/ am conscious Of great satisfaction in the
thought that I was permitted to write the
hymn. L Need Thee Every Hour and
that 1t was waited out to the world on
the wings Of love and joy. rather than
under the stress Of great personal sorrow
with which 1t has so often been associated
in the minds Of those who sing it. I re-
member we'll the morning, many years
ago. when in the midst Of the daily cares
of my home. then in distint city, I was
SO filled with a sense Of nearness to the
Master that, wondering how one could live
without Him. either in Joy or pain, these
words. i need Thee every hour flashed
into my mind, the thought at once taking
full possession of me. Seating myself by
the open window. in the balmy air Of the
bright June day. 1 caught my pencil. and
the words were soon committed to paper
|
only by accident. as 1t would seem, that
they were set to music a few months later
and sung, for the first time at a Sunday
school convention held In one Of the large
western cities. From there they were taken
further West and sung by thousands OF
voices before the echo came back to me
thrilling my heart with surprise and glad.
ness. For myself the hymn was prophetic
rather than expressive of my own ex.
perience at the time it was written. and
ala not understand why 1t touched the
great throbbing heart Of humanity. 1t was
not until long years after, when the
snaoow Tell over my way-thc shadow OF
great ioss-that i understood something
OF the comfort power in the words which
l had been permitted to give out to Others
III my hours Of sweet security and peace
Now when ! hear them sung, as 1 have
some times, by hundreds of voices ir
chorus' ! hnd it difficult to realize tina,
tney were ever. consciously, my owr
thought or penned by my own hand
Copies Of the hymn have been sent N ms
IN number of different languages. bu,
the one prize most highly is the one
printed In the, to me, queer and IN.
Transferable characters Of the Burmese.
Print"