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An Old Hymn

An Old Hymn image
Parent Issue
Day
5
Month
March
Year
1897
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

A pathetic and yet channing story is biel of the origin of the well known tymn, "Biest be the tie that binds, " tvhich was written by Rev. Johu Fawcett, au huglish Baptist, who died in 1817, having spent nearly 60 years in the ïninistry. It was in 1772, after a few years spent in pastoral work, that he was called to London to suceced the Rev. Dr. Gilí. His farewell sermón had been preached near Moinsgate in Yorkshire. Six or seven wagons stood loaded with his forniture and books, and all was ready for departure. But his loving poople wore heartbroken. Men, women and children gathered and clung about him and his family with sad and tearful faces. Finally, ovenvhehned with the sorrow of those they werp leaving, Dr. Fawcett and his wif e sat down on one of the packing cases and gave way to grief. "Oh, John, "cried Mrs. Fawcett at last, "Icannot beartbisl I know not how to go. ' ' "Nor I eithor, " returned hor Jtmsband, "and wewillnotgo. The wagons shall be unloaded and everything -pat in its old place." His peoplo, were filled with intense joy and gratitude at thisdetermination. Dr. Fawcett at once sent a letter to London explaiuing the case, and then resolutely returned to his work on a salary of less than $200 a year. This hynm was written to comrnomorate the event. When Mr. Cofñng, a missionary at Aiutab, in Armenia, set out in 1860 to explore the Taurus monntains, he was to penétrate an entirely new and dangerous field. This fact was fully realized by the inhabitants of Aintab, and they gathered to the iramber of 1,500 at the roadsides and bade farewell to the missionary and his family in the Armenias words of this hymn, written nearly a century before by the

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News