Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-08-26
THE COUNTRY HOME
BY MRS. w. Fl. FELTON,
FAVORITE HYMNS
MONG my earliest recolections, lit

~ tot in my fathers arms, | learned to
sing on of Pleyel's hymns and when
l go to a piano now, in my old age, l am
delighted to worship my Heavenly Father by
trying to sing it with gratitude and thanks
giving for preserving mercy
My father was born in Maryland in 1899.
His parents were living just across the Po-
tomac river from Mount Vernon, General
Washington's home. General Washington
died in 1893, when my father was nine
months old General Washington was buried
at Mount Vernon. and many of my grand
mothers people are buried across the Poto-
mac at Marshall Hall. Her father and my
great-grandfather on his fathers side served
in the Revolutionary army under General
Washington, their dear and honored neigh
bor whom they had known from boyhood
My father came to Georgia to live when he
was seven years old, witt. his parents, and
he remembered many of the old Maryland
tunes of that time. He had a fine tenor
voice and played by ear on the violin.
guess [ inherited his ardent love for music,
but [ will copy here the hymn he sung to
his baby chldren-and, remember, - go.
birthday l will be ninety years old You
will find it in the Methodist Hymn Book
No SIT.
while Thee I seek protecting power,
Be my vain wishes stilled,
And may this consecrated hour
With better hopes be filled.
"Thy love the power Of thought bestowed,
To Thee my thoughts would soar;
Thy mercy DER my life has flowed,
That mercy [ adore.
In each event of life how clear
Thy ruling hand I see,
Each blessing to my soul most dear
Because conferred by Thee
I'm every joy that crowns my days,
In every pain l bear,
My heart shall find delight in praise,
Or seek relief in prayer.
when gladness wings my favored hour
Thy love my thoughts shall fill;
Resigned when storms of sorrow lower,
My soul shall meet Thy will.
my lifted eye without a tear
The gathering storm shall see
My steadfast heart shall know no fear
That heart will rest Thee
There's a whole sermon in this hymn.
When clouds come over my horizon and
am troubled about things [ am powerless to
make different, can sing in my heart these
beautiful words of cheer and faith and re-
member my father sang them to his baby
girl his first born and his darling child
nearly hundred years ago, and it brings
gadness and sweet memories to my heart.
am going to copy another song that | have
sung thousand times in the od-time reli-
gious meetings, more than a half-century
ago:
"Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb,
And shall fear to own his cause
Or blush to speak His name?
Must I be carried to the skies
On fowery beds of ease
While others fought to win the prize
Or sailed through bloody seas?
"Are there foes for to face.
Must l not stem the food,
Is this vile world friend to Grace
To help me on to God?
Sure I must fight II I would reign.
Increase my courage, Lord:
I'll bear the toll, endure the pain.
Supported by Thy word.
''Thy saints in all this glorious war
Shall conquer though they die.
They see the triumph from afar.
BY faith they bring it nigh,
when that illustrious day shall rise
And all Thy armies shine
In robes Of victory through the skies
The glory shall be Thine"
In this long life that the dear Lord has
| spared to me, and the many hundred times
| | have heard this old song, along with the
shouts of souls redeemed. in camp meetings
| and revival times, | am thankful to sing il
again, although see and hear of but few
! camp meetings and genuine revival meetings
| in old Georgia in modern times. Nothing
! counts but old-time religion and faith in the
! promises of God to help ns along to the time
when we are called to go hence forever more
! l shall be glad to see one more great reli
gious revival before my own departure