THIS HYMN CLASSICS. 66 JESUS, LOVER OF MY SOUL." HIS hymn is acknowledged to be the most generally accepted and beloved of all Christian hymns. It is said that one day, in the year 1740, Charles Wesley was sitting at his desk in his room, when a little bird pursued by a hawk flew into the room, and took refuge in his bosom. The poet took his pen, and wrote these immortal verses. up Henry Ward Beecher, when speaking of his father's love for this hymn, once said: "I would rather have written that hymn of Wesley's, 'Jesus, lover of my soul,' than to have the fame of all the kings that ever ruled on the earth. It is more glorious. It has more power in it. I would rather be the author of that hymn than hold the wealth of the richest man in New York. He will die. He is dead, and does not know it. He will pass, after a little while, out of men's thoughts. What will there be to say of him? What will he have done that will stop trouble, or encourage hope? His money will go to his heirs. In three or four generations, everything comes to the ground again for redistribution. But that hymn will go on singing till the last trump brings forth from every land the children of God, and then it will mount up on some lip to the very presence of God." Some one has compiled a list of eminent men who were known to repeat this hymn when dying. Theologians and scholars of every creed are on this list. Dr. Herrick Johnson gives an incident of his hospital work during the war. He came upon a drummer-boy who was wounded unto death. "What can I do for you, my brave fellow ?" A wounded soldier lying near took up the words, and began to sing them; while the drummer-boy, too weak to sing, repeated them as his dying prayer, and while they were on his lips, his soul took its flight to the bosom of Jesus. In the winter of 1872, a Christian worker in New York visited Bellevue Hospital. He was urged by the attendants to see an English sailor in one of the wards, who was near death and unable to speak. The good man leaned over his bed, and softly repeated this hymn in his dull ear. There was no sign that the dying man heard the blessed words, and the visitor went away. About midnight, however, the sailor aroused, and with a clear voice said,'Jesus, lover of my soul, Let me to Thy bosom fly;" and continued until he had repeated the entire hymn. He then added other verses of hymns, and suddenly died. "Who can tell," says Duffield, "how great a bridge had been thrown by those familiar words across the gulf of memory, and how great a comfort they may have brought to his dying hour?" A lady in Norwich, England, went to hear a famous preacher at the Tabernacle. She was in great distress of mind, and had determined to attend divine service once more; and she intended, if she obtained no peace, then to drown herself. The first hymn that the preacher announced was, "Jesus, lover of my soul," which so startled her, and suited her condition, that she supposed that "he had made this hymn for her sake," for she was sure some one had informed him of her state of mind. As a result of this experience, she was hopefully converted. One beautiful evening in the summer of 1881, a party of Northern tourists formed part of a large company gathered on the deck of an excursion steamer sailing down the historic Potomac. A gentleman who has since gained a national reputation as a singing evangelist, had been delighting the party with his happy rendering of familiar hymns, the last being that petition so dear to every Christian heart, "Jesus, lover of my soul." The singer gave the first two verses with such feeling and emphasis as thrilled every heart. every heart. A hush had fallen upon the listeners, which was not broken till a gentleman made his way from the outskirts of the crowd to the side of the singer, and said,— "Beg your pardon, stranger; but were you actively engaged during the late war?" "Yes, sir," the man of song replied, "I fought under Gen. Grant." "I did my fighting on the other side," continued the first speaker, "and am quite sure I was very near you, one bright night, eighteen years ago this very month. It was much such a night as this. If I am not mistaken, you were on guard duty. We of the South had sharp business on hand, and you were one of the enemy. I was selected by the commander, because I had a reputation as a 'sure shot,' to creep near your post of duty. The shadows hid me. My weapon was in my hand. As you paced back and forth, you were humming the tune of the hymn you have just sung. I raised my gun, and aimed it at your heart. Then out upon the air rang the words,-'Cover my defenceless head With the shadow of Thy wing.' Your prayer was answered. I couldn't fire after that, and there was no attack made upon your camp that night. I felt sure, when I heard you sing this evening, that you were the man whose life I was spared from taking." The singer grasped the hand of the Southerner, and said with much emotion : which is the dearest and most venerated word we can use ? Oh, separate not truth and love; you would not separate the hand that truly gives and the heart that sincerely loves. THE least may aid in the mightiest work. Think of us all being missionaries! Why, the very baby is a missionary in the household! God shows by it what love was in His heart, when he brooded over the pattern of a man. "I remember the night very well, and remember distinctly the feeling of depression and loneliness with which I went forth to my duty. I knew my post was one of great danger, and I was more dejected than I remember to have been at any time during the service. I paced my lonely beat, thinking of home and friends, and all that life holds dear. Then the thought of God's care for all that he had created came to me with peculiar force. If He so cares for the sparrow, how much more for 'man created in His own image; and I sung the prayer of my heart, and ceased to feel alone. How the prayer was answered I never knew till this evening. My Heavenly Father thought best to keep the knowledge from me for eighteen years. How much of His goodness to us we shall be ignorant of, until revealed by the light of eternity! Jesus, lover of my soul,' has been a favorite hymn,-now it will be inexpressi- will be more than the tenor of our speech, but withbly dear." This incident is a true one, and was told to the writer by a lady who was one of the party on the steamer.-Golden Rule. THOUGHTS FROM T. T. LYNCH, IN our age we are apt to take luminosity for light,. to multiply our words and arrange them with the art of the rhetorician or the logician, rather than to ponder over that which is difficult. If you will excuse the homely simile, to brood over them as the fowl broods, who sits patiently waiting till that which she covers shall be gradually warmed into life. THE eagle soars high, and it has a protecting eyelid, lest it should be blinded through its very power of vision. And so may the child of God soar as high as he will, if only he has this protective, sacred eyelid of humanity, soaring into a heaven of glorious freedom, so that as earth grows smaller heaven grows larger. How blessed, how marvellous is the power of language over us! Watch a little child readingyou gaze at it wonderingly. Watch its smile; the child is in a garden, if it be reading about a garden; or with bright angels, if it be reading about angels. What a gift has God bestowed on man in giving him a book! If we trust the brain alone, our brain will bewilder us. The wretchedest house in which a man can possibly live is his own brain; this leader, as it is, must be inspired by the heart. Not till our heart loves love, will our brain work well. Is truth a word of endearment to us, as love, "A SOFT answer turneth away wrath." But it is only a strong man who can give a soft answer. The tendency of our time is to forget the strength that is required for spiritual softness. TAKE our own character: the tenor of our life out the use of words our life cannot have its full effect. pretend to judge me, whose labors, whose cares, whose fiery trials were, beside yours, as the heaving volcano beside a boy's firework? You condemn my weaknesses? Know that they were stronger than your strength! You impute motives for my sins? Know that till you are as great as I have been, for evil and for good, you will be as little able to comprehend my sins as my righteousness! Poor marshcroaker, who wishest not merely to swell up to the bulk of the ox, but to embrace it in thy little paws, know thy own size, and leave me to be judged by Him who made me !" いいる Elevator foot Washington St. Dealers in the Choicest Brands -OF FLOUR. Also Feed, Baled Hay, Wood and Straw. "COUSINS & HALL, Growers of all Kinds of HOUSE AND BEDDING PLANTS. Cut Flowers and Floral Designs a Specialty Gre nhouses, Cor. S University Ave. and Twelfth St. Telephone Connection. J. C. CLINTON, Merchant Tailor. DUFFY BLOCK, Opposite the Postoffice, DOTY & FEINER :: FOR ::. FINE SHOES, BEST QUALITY, LOW PRICES. Bicycles THE ARGUS. Adopted by the U. S. Government THE FAMOUS WARWICK. Solid or Cushioned, Tired Wheels. All II W. WASHINGTON STREET. M. STAEBLER, Agent. -THE CHEAPEST SEMI-WEEKLY IN THE STATE. Newsiest Paper in the City. TRY IT. FINE PHOTOGRAPHS. ALL STYLES AND SIZES. Pictures Taken by Electricity In the Evening. KELLER'S, 6 HURON ST. Ferguson's Fine Carriages & Road Carts ALL WORK WARRANTED. THE INDEPENDENT. D. E. CARMAN, Agent, 71 E. WASHINGTON ST. MRS. M. M. TUTTLE MILLINERY. 60 S. MAIN ST. Just Received Spring Stock. Agent Old Staten Island DYE WORKS. C. EBERBACH, General & Builders' Hardware Furnaces, Mantles, House Furnishing Goods Manufacturer of Tin, Sheet Iron and Copperware. WM. BIGGS, Contractor and Builder COR. S. UNIVERSITY AVE. AND CHURCH ST. THE ANN ARBOR BAPTIST. VOL. III. ANN ARBOR, MICH., JUNE, 1891. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, Secretary. Woman's Home Mission Circle-Mrs. Stevens, President; Mrs. Wright, Secretary. Young People's Society-J. W. Curtiss, President; Hattie M. Hodge, Secretary. Temple Builders-Helen Woodin, President; Grace Goble, Secretary. SCHEDULE OF BENEVOLENT CONTRIBUTIONS. Becond Sunday in June-Subscriptions for Ministers' Home. Payable first Sunday in July. Becond Sunday in September-Subscriptions for State Missions. Payable first Sunday in October. Second Sunday in November-Subscriptions for Home Missions. Payable second Sunday in December. Second Sunday in January-Subscriptions for Foreign Missions. Payable second Sunday in February. Second Sunday in March-Subscriptions for Ministerial Education. Payable second Sunday in April. Last Sunday in Each Month-Collection for expenses of the Sunday School. PLAN OF FINANCE A definite weekly or monthly contribution from every member. Pews not rented, but assigned to contributors by lot. A number of the best pews reserved for strangers and students. REGULAR SERVICES. Preaching Service-Sunday at 10:30 ▲. M. and 7:30 P. M. Young Girls' Meeting-Tuesday, 4 P. M. Young Christians' Band for Bible Study-Monday, 7 P. M. General Prayer Meeting-Wednesday, 7:30 P. M. Covenant Meeting-Wednesday evening preceding first Sunday of each month. The Lord's Supper-First Sunday of each month. Trustees' Meeting-Following the Covenant Meeting. The pastor will gladly receive at his home, or visit at their homes, those wishing counsel upon religious matters, or those in trouble or affliction, or strangers, whether members of the church or not. His mornings are reserved for study; his afternoons and evenings usually devoted to calling, or to the meeting of appointments at his home. MANY Baptist students in the high school and university have completed their course of study this year or will leave at the close of the year. Our church wishes them all success in the work upon which they are to enter elsewhere. THEREST THREE YEARS' RECORD. No. 7. HREE years of the present pastorate were completed the 1st of June. The church has reason to feel encouraged over substantial gains in that time in every direction, as the results of its labors and of gifts thoughtfully bestowed upon it. In membership it has increased from 315 to about 440 names, the additions for the three years numbering 215, of whom 103 were received by baptism, 8 by restoration and on experience, and the rest by letter. The church has contributed for expenses in the three years between $7,000 and $8,000 and for benevolence between $1,500 and $2,000. The church has received the gift of a parsonage, a bequest of the late Mrs. S. S Cowles, and receives between $800 and $900 as residuary legatee of the estate of Mre. Rhoda Royce. From bequests of these two deceased members our denominational benevolent work receives (from Mrs. Cowles' estate) $2,500 and (from Mrs. Royce's estate) $200. NATIONAL BAPTIST YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONVENTION. At Chicago, July 7th and 8th, will assemble the first national convention of Baptist young people. It meets with the Second Baptist Church of that city, and thousands of delegates are expected. Great preparations have been made in every way and it promises to be a notable event in the history of our denomination. A number of members of our Young People's Society expect to attend, and all will be welcome. Reduced rates are given for parties of ten, NOTES. REV. J. C. CARMAN, who did such admirable service in our special meetings last March, has been compelled through over work to resign his pastorate and seek several months of rest. He spent Sunday, June 13th, at Ann Arbor. CAUSE for general congratulation exists in the completion of Newberry Hall, the splendid building erected for the Students' Christian Association of the University. It was dedicated Sunday, June 21st, at 4 p. m., with appropriate exercises. A general secretary is to be employed by the Association next year, who will give the greater part of his time to the interests of the students. OUR church edifice and grounds under the supervision of the committee on buildings and grounds, Mr. H. B. Dodsley, chairman, are receiving many necessary improvements, and with the aid of the bequests, more recently received, more extensive improvements in the way of heating, ventilating and painting will be undertaken soon. If we consider well, we shall find that every capability, however slight, is born with us; that there is no vague, general capability in man. It is our ambiguous, dissipating education that makes men uncertain; it awakens wishes, when it should be animating tendencies; instead of forwarding our real capacities it turns our efforts towards objects which are frequently discordant with the mind that aims at I augur better of a child, a youth who is wandering away in a path of his own, than of many who are walking aright upon paths which are not theirs. If the former, either by themselves or by the guidance of others, ever find the right path that is to say, the path which suits their nature, they will never leave it, while the latter are in danger every moment of shaking off a foreign yoke and abandoning themselves to unrestricted license.Goethe. TIME. Since Time is not a person we can overtake when he is past, let us honor him with mirth and cheerfulness of heart while he is passing.-Goethe. Thou canst not delay for a single moment the flight of Time, and thou complainest that time is a continual over-dropping of moments, which fall down one upon the other and evaporate. Above hangs unchanged the future, and underneath grows the past, and becomes always larger the farther it flies back. And thou askest, "What remains with me?" "The present," I answer; however much time may fly away from you, the present is your eternity and never abandons you.-Richter. SCEPTICISM. Scepticism is not intellectual only, it is moral also -a chronic atrophy and disease of the whole soul. A man lives by believing something, not by debating and arguing about many things. A sad case for him when all he can manage to believe is something he can button in his pocket-something he can eat and digest! Lower than that he will not get. We call those ages in which he gets so low the mournfullest, sickliest and meanest of all ages. The world's heart is palsied, sick; how can any limb of it be whole? Genuine acting ceases in all departments of the world's works; dextrous similitude of acting begins. The world's wages are pocketed; the world's work is not done. Heroes have gone out; quacks have come in.-Thomas Carlyle. GREAT THOUGHTS UTTERED. Oh! when speech is given to a soul holy and true, Time, and its dome of ages, becomes as a mighty whispering gallery, round which the imprisoned utterance runs and reverberates for ever.— Martineau. MAN'S IMMORTALITY. It is very remarkable to see how some who have shaken themselves pretty nearly free of all other dogmatic belief have clung to the belief in the immortality of the soul. It was Mr. Buckle, of the "History of Civilization," who wrote that "the belief in a future state approaches certainty nearer than any other belief; and it is one which if eradicated, would drive most of us to despair." And the eloquent and sceptical writer founds his belief just on this, that it must be true.-A. K. H. Boyd. |