418
THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.
ever thought of the words being by a woman—Mary Masters? I am glad to know a woman wrote it, and hundreds of others we sang so long with the supposition that they emanated from the heart and brain of the brotherhood. Not that they are any better for belonging to the sisterhood of authors, but because I believe in “ Honor to whom honor is due.”
If women have written hymns so good and acceptable that all Christendom is singing them, let them have the credit.
“Work for the night is coming,” was written by Annie L. Walker, of Canada? For years after its first appearance in i860, it was over the signature, Rev. Sidney Dyer; and in some of our standard and comparatively recent revisions and late compilations his name is still appended to it. But gradually the name of the true author is given with the song. Dr. Dyer did write a song of that name, but he does not claim this one that we all sing.
Even in a hasty, running review like this, in which only a comparative few can be mentioned, it would not do to omit the names of Mrs. Prentiss, author of “ More love to Thee, O Christ;” Harriet B. Buell, in“ I’m the child of a King;” Mrs. Dana, in “ Flee as a bird to your mountain;” “ Pass under the rod,” and that famous old temperance song—
“ Sparkling and bright,
In its liquid light;”
Mrs. Mackay’s “Asleep in Jesus;” Mrs. Dr. Herrick Johnson’s “The whole wide world for Jesus.”
“The Ninety and Nine,” by Mrs. Clephane, has been pronounced by some of our devout men and evangelists “ the sacred song of the century,” despite some lame or imperfect feet which unfits it somewhat for congregational singing, but does well for solo use. It is the sentiment so beautifully and touchingly expressed that goes home to the sinner’s heart and wins him or her to Christ.
Let us beware of prescribing too narrow limits to what may be considered hymns of a high order.
Do not those who accomplish the most good deserve to be ranked very high? Are not the grandest of all those who set forth the doctrines of grace, the compassion of Jehovah, the condescension of Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit? The “ Ninety and Nine,” and “ Nearer, my God, to Thee,” may be called the great world hymns, alike acceptable, as they are, to Gentile and Jew, Catholic and Protestant, the world over.
Mrs. Joseph F. Knapp, of Brooklyn, a lady of wealth, culture and position, and her sainted mother, Mrs. Phoebe Palmer, of “ holiness” fame, gone years ago to her reward, have done much to enrich sacred song. Mrs. Knapp composes from very love of it—an inspiration that moves her to give expression to the well of joy and gratitude that continually springs up within her consecrated being. Some of her best music is the setting she has given to the hymns of the blind hymnologist, Fanny Crosby (Mrs. Van Alstyne), of New York.
And this brings us to this wonderful blind singer. It used to be said, a woman may be found now and then who has written one or two acceptable hymns, but it requires a man to write many that are meritorious. Fanny Crosby, seven years ago, was reported by Dr. Herbert P. Main as having written nineteen hundred for Bigelow & Bain’s publications alone. She had also written for many other firms, and has been writing continuously ever since. She is certainly entitled to the crown, as the most prolific hymnologist of the day, regardless of sex, so far as diligent inquiry and research can determine, she having written, without doubt, over three thousand that have been accepted.
To mention all the musical productions of the lamented Frances Ridley Haver- gal, of England, would require several pages, and the incidents connected with them an entire day. Though she may not have written any greater number of hymns that are sung everywhere than has Fanny Crosby, she has composed much music of a high order; for instance, her setting of “Tramp, tramp, tramp, on the downward way,”