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M. M. Wells

1815 - 1895 Hymnal Number: 98 Author of "Holy Spirit, faithful Guide" in Jasper and Gold Converted to Christianity as a youth at a mission in Buffalo, New York, Marcus Morris Wells (b. Cooperstown, NY, 1815; d. Hartwick, NY, 1895) spent most of his life near Hartwick as a farmer and maker of farm implements. He is remembered in hymnody for writing both the text and tune of "Holy Spirit, Faithful Guide." "On a Saturday afternoon, October 1858, while at work in my cornfield, the sentiment of the hymn came to me," writes Wells. "The next day, Sunday, being a very stormy day, I finished the hymn and wrote the tune for it and sent it to Prof. I. B. Woodbury." Isaac Woodbury was the editor of the New York Musical Pioneer, and the original text and tune were first published in that periodical's November 1858 issue. Bert Polman ================= Wells, Marcus M. Concerning this author and his hymn we have no information beyond the following facts:— Holy Spirit, faithful Guide. [Whitsuntide.] Appeared in The Sacred Lute, by T. E. Perkins, N.Y., undated [1864], p. 373, with music. Both words and music are attributed therein to M. M. Wells. The hymn has since been repeated in several English and American collections, including I. D. Sankey's Sacred Songs and Solos, 1878. It is dated 1858. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

Alexander Clark

1835 - 1879 Hymnal Number: 9 Author of "O how sweet his presence is!" in Jasper and Gold Clark, Alexander, D.D., born March 10, 1835, died July 6, 1879. Dr. Clark was for many years a Minister of the American Methodist Episcopal Church, and the editor of the Methodist Recorder, published at Pittsburgh. Two of his hymns:— 1. Heavenly Father, bless me now. Lent. 2. Make room for Jesus. Lent. are given in I. D. Sankey's Sacred Songs & Solos. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ========================= Clark, Alexander, D.D. (March 10, 1835--July 6, 1879). Of Scottish descent, he was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, and received his education in the common schools, guided by a very competent father. After teaching in the public schools of Ohio for some years, he founded and edited Schoolday Visitor, a young people's journal which he published by himself in Knoxville, Ohio. It reached a circulation of more than 30,000 and eventually was merged with St. Nicholas, a well-known magazine for youth. Originally a Presbyterian, he joined the Methodist Protestant Church and received his preaching license in 1862. For four years, from 1866, he served the First Methodist Protestant Church, Pittsburgh, and then became editor of the Methodist Recorder and the Sunday School papers of his church, retaining that position until his death. Chairman of the Committee which compiled the Voice of Praise, 1872, he was largely responsible for including in it much new hymnic material. He was the author of five hymns which were included in the book. His "Heavenly Father, bless me now," originally in six four-line stanzas, continued in the series of Methodist Protestant hymnals through that of 1901. Stanzas 1, 2, 5, 6, are in 0/1935. [note: up to 1966 Methodist Hymnal.] He was the recipient of honorary degrees from Mt. Union College, Otterbein University, and Ohio Wesleyan University. While on a lecture tour in Georgia, he became ill at Atlanta and was taken to the Executive Mansion by the then Governor Colquitt, where he died after three weeks' severe suffering. The following glowing tribute to Dr. Clark by Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll, nationally known atheist writer and lecturer of the late nineteenth century was published in the Methodist Recorder, July 26, 1879: "Upon the grave of Rev. Alexander Clark I wish to place one flower. Utterly destitute of cold dogmatic pride that often passes for the love of God, without the arrogance of the 'elect'--simple, free, and kind--this earnest man made me his friend by being mine. I forgot that he was a Christian, and he seemed to forget that I was not, while each remembered that the other was a man. Frank, candid and sincere, he practiced what he preached, and looked with the holy eyes of charity upon the failings and mistakes of men. He believed in the power of kindness, and spurned with divine sympathy the hideous gulf that separates the fallen from the pure. Giving freely to others the rights that he claimed for himself, it never occurred to him that his God hated a brave and honest unbeliever. He remembered that even an infidel has rights that love respects; that hatred has no saving power, and that in order to be a Christian it is not necessary to become less of a man. He knew that no one can be maligned into kindness; that epithets cannot convince; that curses are not arguments, and the finger of scorn never points toward heaven. With the generosity of an honest man, he accorded to all the fullest liberty of thought, knowing, as he did, that in the realm of mind a chain is but a curse. He sympathies were not confined within the prison of a creed, but ran out and over the walls like vines, hiding the cruel rocks and rusted bars with leaf and flower. He could not echo with his heart the fiendish sentence of eternal fire. In spite of book and creed, he read 'between the lines' the words of tenderness and love, with promises for all the world. Above, beyond the dogmas of his church--humane even to the verge of heresy--causing none to doubt the love of God because he failed to hate his unbelieving fellow-men--he labored for the welfare of mankind, and to his work gave up his life with all his heart." An intimate friend of William Cullen Bryant and other well-known authors, he was considered an exceptionally fine lecturer and his work as editor and author was highly regarded. Among his published works are: The Old Log Schoolhouse, 1864 Working Christianity, or, the Gospel in the Trades, 1878. --Robert G. McCutchan, DNAH Archives

W. H. Burrell

Person Name: Rev. W. H. Burrell Hymnal Number: 143 Author of "'Tis wonderful grace!" in Jasper and Gold

Mary B. Reese

Hymnal Number: 4 Author of "Ring out the tide of song" in Jasper and Gold

George H. Babcock

Person Name: Geo. H. Babcock Hymnal Number: 47 Author of "Arise! the Master is calling thee!" in Jasper and Gold

R. C. Fraim

Hymnal Number: 32 Author of "Hail, hail, all hail" in Jasper and Gold

Wilbur A. Christy

Hymnal Number: 28 Author of "Look to the shore, brother, look to the shore" in Jasper and Gold Wilbur Amos Christy USA 1845-1928. Born in Kinsman, OH, he attended the Normal Music School at Genesco, NY, and dedicated his life to music. He had an outstanding tenor voice and was encouraged to pursue an operetic career. Meeting J. G. Towner, they held conventions and concert tours in PA and NY. He also studied with other music masters, J. G. Webb, George F. Root, and Sir George McFarren. He became director and teacher of the National Normal Institute in Lebanon, OH, where George Root was principal. He was known for his work in glee, chorus, and class music, his convention work, and by his Sabbath school songs. His mission in faith caused him to pursue a career change. Following his friend, Philip P. Bliss, he became a singing evangelist. He was known as a gospel singer and composer of gospel hymns and songs. John Perry

W. B. Cooper

Hymnal Number: 104 Author of "When earth's boist'rous storms arising" in Jasper and Gold

S. S. Fisher

Person Name: Col. S. S. Fisher Hymnal Number: 150 Author of "Come, brother, Jesus saith, I am the way" in Jasper and Gold

C. C. McCabe

1836 - 1906 Person Name: Chaplain C. C. McCabe Hymnal Number: 96 Adapter of "I am far frae my hame, an' I'm weary aften-whiles" in Jasper and Gold Charles Cardwell McCabe’s story begins during the Civil War when at age 25 he was appointed chaplain of the 122nd Regiment of Ohio Volunteers. He read in The Atlantic Julia Ward Howe’s “Battle Hymn of the Republic” fit to the popular marching tune “John Brown’s body” and immediately taught it to his regiment. As they moved out to Virginia and became part of a larger Union regiment they took The Battle Hymn with them. Captured and sent to Libby Prison in Richmond, he led the prisoners on the long 150 mile march in singing The Battle Hymn to raise their spirits and maintain morale. Under terrible prison conditions they sang; people remembered standing outside the prison to listen. At the news of Lee’s defeat McCabe again led all the prisoners in singing “national airs”. He contracted typhoid, and when prisoners were exchanged at Fortress Monroe, VA he weighed less than 100 pounds. After prison he worked as a fund raiser for the U.S. Christian Commission in Washington. He often officiated at four or five church services around Washington camps and hospitals, sometimes walking ten miles. He told of refusing an invitation to a white folks’ church so he could preach to a congregation of former slaves where he gave to the choir copies of the Battle Hymn. On Feb. 2, 1864 he attended a meeting of the House of Representatives for a celebration of the second anniversary of the Christian Commission which Lincoln attended. When McCabe led the singing of the Battle Hymn Lincoln was so moved that he asked for it to be sung again. McCabe attended Lincoln’s funeral in Springfield, IL and was asked to sing the Battle Hymn there. After the war McCabe was appointed to Spencer Chapel in Portsmouth, OH and became a major fundraiser for his alma mater [Ohio] Wesleyan University’s endowment fund. For forty years he lectured throughout the country as Secretary of the Church Extension Society. In 1896 he was elected to the Methodist episcopacy, unofficially named “The Singing Bishop”. He died after suffering a stroke Dec. 19, 1906. M.L. VanDyke (with material from Wm. E. Ross: “The Singing Chaplain: Bishop McCabe” in Methodist History, Oct. 1989