They were present from Europe, Asia and America. I sat in a rear seat alone. After there had been a number of addresses delivered in various languages I was preparing to leave, when the chairman of the meeting announced that the author of 'Shall we gather at the river?' was present, and I was requested by name to come forward. Men applauded and women waved their handkerchiefs as I went to the platform. It was a tribute to the hymn; but I felt, after it was over, that I had perhaps done some little good in the world."

The year after it was written, on Children's Day, in Brooklyn, when the assembled Sunday-schools of the city met in bewildering array, this song was sung by more than forty thousand voices. There was not a child from the gutter or a mission waif who did not know it.

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An American lady writing from Cairo, who was allowed to visit the military hospital soon after some wounded men had been brought in from a skirmish, says: The three hours we could stay were full of work for heart and hand. One young soldier from a Highland regiment especially excited my interest. He had lost a limb, and the doctor said he could not live through the night. I stopped at his side to see whether there was anything that I could do for him. He lay with closed eyes; and as his lips moved I caught the words, Mother, mother.' I dipped my handkerchief in a basin of iced water, and bathed his forehead where the fever flushes burned.

"Oh, that is good!' he said, opening his Seeing me bending over him, he caught my hand kissed it. Thank you, lady,' he said; it 'minds m mother.'

"I asked him if I could write to his mother. he said; the surgeon had promised to write; but I, would I, sing to him? I hesitated a moment, looked around. The gleam on the yellow water o Nile, as the western rays slanted down, caught my and suggested the river the streams of which make glad the city of God. I began to sing in a voice the gospel hymn, Shall we gather at the riv Eager heads were raised around us to listen mor tently, while bass and tenor voices, weak and tr lous, came in on the chorus,

"When the song was ended, I looked into the of the boy-for he was not over twenty-and as 'Shall you be there?'

"Yes, I'll be there, through what the Lord J has done for me?' he answered, with his blue shining, while a 'light that never was on sea or 1 irradiated his face. The tears gathered in my ey I thought of the mother, in her far-off Scottish h watching and waiting for tidings of her soldier who was breathing away his life in an Egyptian pital.

"Come again, lady, come again,' I heard o

sides as we left the barracks. I shall go; but I shall not find my Scottish laddie, for by to-morrow's reveille he will have crossed the river."

Beautiful Valley of Eden

Words by the Rev. W. O. Cushing

Music by William F. Sherwin

"Beautiful valley of Eden!

Sweet is thy noon-tide calm."

"One day in 1875 I was reaching up for a blessing," says the author of these words, "when suddenly there came down upon my heart a vision of the heavenly country. I seemed to look down upon a river that like a mighty tide rolled beneath me. Across, on the other side of this river, I saw an enchanted land; its hills and valleys were sleeping in a heavenly calm. It was more beautiful than words can tell, and my heart seemed to be there. As I gazed on the scene, there came to my lips the words, 'Beautiful valley of Eden.' The vision remained until I had written down the hymn; then it gradually faded from my sight. But I want to say that the beauty of the hymn is largely due to Mr. Sherwin, who, by his rich melody, has reached a deeper chord than any mere words could ever have reached."

Words by E. P. Stites

Beulah Land

Music by John R. Sweney

"I've reached the land of corn and wine,

And all its riches freely mine."

First sung at Ocean Grove, New Jersey, at a great gathering of Methodists, this hymn at once became very popular. It has been sung in every land where

the name of Christ is known. The secretary Young Men's Christian Association at Plymouth land, wrote me a beautiful story of a young lad sang it on her dying bed as she passed into th that is fairer than day.

I sang this favorite song over the dead body friend, Mr. Sweney, at the church of which he leading member, in West Chester, Pennsylvan the day of his burial.

"Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

O, what a foretaste of glory divine!"

"During the recent war in the Transvaal," gentleman at my meeting in Exeter Hall, Lond 1900," when the soldiers going to the front wer ing another body of soldiers whom they recog their greetings used to be,' Four-nine-four, boys nine-four;' and the salute would invariably b swered with Six further on, boys; six furthe The significance of this was that, in Sacred and Solos,' a number of copies of the small edit which had been sent to the front, number 49 'God be with you till we meet again;' and six on than 494, or number 500, was' Blessed Assu Jesus is mine.""

One of the most popular and useful of the pel Hymns," this was sung by a large delegat

Christian Endeavorers on the train to Minneapolis, some years ago. And it was often sung at night as the street-cars were crowded with passengers on their way to the Convention Hall, greatly to the delight of the people of that city.

Blest be the Tie that Binds

Words by the Rev. John Fawcett

"Blest be the tie that binds

Music by H. G. Nageli

Our hearts in Christian love."

Dr. John Fawcett was the pastor of a small church at Wainsgate, and was called from there to a larger church in London in 1772. He accepted the call and preached his farewell sermon. The wagons were loaded with his books and furniture, and all was ready for the departure, when his parishioners gathered around him, and with tears in their eyes begged of him to stay. His wife said, "Oh, John, John, I cannot bear this." 'Neither can I," exclaimed the good parson," and we will not go. Unload the wagons and put everything as it was before." with great joy by his people, and he wrote the words of this hymn in commemoration of the event. This song, and “God be with you till we meet again," are the most useful farewell hymns in the world.

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His decision was hailed

Mr. Moody used to tell of a Sunday-school teacher, to whom he had given a class of girls, who one day came to Mr. Moody's store much disheartened.