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Meanwhile Dr. Van Meter had called on Mr. Doane, and finding that he had not been able to compose a melody for the anniversary at the mission, said

"Here is another piece; I will come tomorrow and shall expect the music to be written." Mr. Doane took up my hymn "More Like Jesus" and the melody came to him at once. According to promise his friend came again next day and said, "Is the piece ready?" Mr. Doane said,

"Not the music to the words you gave yesterday, but I have something else; and if we can find an organ I will play it for you." They went into a neighboring church, and Dr. Van Meter agreed to pump the organ while Mr. Doane played and sang the hymn. But they had not gone very far before Dr. Van Meter burst into tears and forgot to pump the organ. They tried again, and this time the good doctor came out from behind the organ, threw his arms around Mr. Doane's neck and cried,

"Doane, where did you get that?" Then Mr. Doane told him that Fanny Crosby had sent him the words and he had just written the music. The hymn was used at the anniversary and was a perfect success.

CHAPTER XVI
TWO GREAT EVANGELISTS

IN the thought of Christian people everywhere throughout the world the names, Moody and Sankey, are linked together; and I have been not a little honored in having these great evangelists among my dearest friends. I have always been greatly fascinated when Mr. Sankey has related in my hearing the story of how he and Mr. Moody first met; and he has told it with wonderful vividness and power in his "Story of the Gospel Hymns." In 1870 Mr. Sankey was one of the delegates to the con-vention of the Young Men's Christian Association at Indianapolis; and one morning, with a friend, went into a seven o'clock meeting conducted by Mr. Moody. The singing was abominable and the friend suggested that Mr. Sankey start something; and he sang "There is a Fountain Filled with Blood." The congregation joined and the remainder of the meeting was bright and hearty.

At the conclusion of the service they met, and almost Mr. Moody's first words were "I have been looking for you for the last eight years. You must come to Chicago and help me in my evangelistic meetings." This announcement was rather sudden; and Mr. Sankey replied that he did not feel called to give up his business, but promised to think the matter over. The next day Mr. Moody asked him to be at a certain street corner that evening. He arrived before the evangelist; the latter soon came; and without even greeting Mr. Sankey passed into a store and asked for a box upon which he might stand and speak to the men returning home from work. A large company collected; they at last adjourned to the Opera House, where the convention was being held; and continued the meeting till the hour of the evening service. For the next six months Mr. Moody urged Mr. Sankey to give up his business and go to Chicago; finally he was promised that they would hold a few meetings together; and before the end of the first week Mr. Sankey sent his resignation to his firm. Thus early in 1871 they began work. Wherever Moody and Sankey went there was a great awakening, and in England especially thousands turned toward the Christian life from a career of indifference and sin. Mr. Sankey was in the habit of using some of the songs which had proved their merit in Chicago and other cities of America, but the demand for gospel hymns rose to such a degree that a collection of them was printed, and the little book was called "Sacred Songs and Solos." The sales were con-stantly increased until many thousands were sold. The profit from the publication was given to charitable purposes.

When they returned to this country a new book was compiled with the assistance of P. P. Bliss and Major D. W. Whittle. It was entitled "Gospel Hymns and Sacred Songs" and was issued by the Biglow and Main Company. Since that date five additional numbers have been compiled and over fifty million copies in all have been sold, the royalty being devoted to worthy causes, and of late years to the Northfield Seminary and the Boys' School at Mount Hermon, Massachusetts. Recent editions have been compiled by George C. Stebbins and James McGranahan, both of whom have been friends of mine for many years.

I presume "The Ninety and Nine" is the most popular of all the Moody and Sankey hymns. The story of the writing of this hymn has been told to me more than once by Mr. Sankey. They had been travel-ling through England and Scotland, holding very large meetings, and finally were going from Glasgow to Edin-burgh. At the railway station Mr. Sankey purchased a paper with the hope of finding some news from America. He found none, however, but at last caught sight of a little poem in one corner of the paper among the advertisements. He liked it very much, called Mr. Moody's attention to it; and read it again at his friend's request. But Mr. Moody was not impressed. Two days later the topic at a noon meeting was "The Good Shepherd"; and Dr. Bonar was one of the speakers. When he had concluded his address Mr. Moody asked if Mr. Sankey had some solo appropriate to this subject. He had nothing in mind; and was greatly perplexed as to what to do; then a voice seemed to say, "Sing the hymn you found on the train." He immediately sat down at the organ; bowed his head in prayer; and at once the music to "The Ninety and Nine" came as it now stands. The great audience was deeply touched.