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Since 1882 I have addressed the men of the Christian Association in various towns and cities; and they have given me such a warm place in their affections that I have been obliged to adopt five or six hundred of them throughout the Eastern States. They, however, in turn have adopted me; and the Hoboken Branch some years ago gave me a beautiful little badge of honorary member-ship.

The rapid growth of the Y. M. C. A. gratifies my heart, and I am very glad to know that railway officials and other employers are coming to realize more and more that it is to their mutual advantage to encourage this noble work. In witness of the growing sentiment in favor of the Y. M. C. A. I need but refer to the in-creasing number of buildings that are erected yearly for the accommodation of the young men of all classes, and for their intellectual and moral improvement.

I am glad to be able to quote a stanza from a Christmas poem written for the Railroad Branch of the Young Men's Christian Association about ten years ago:

"How I would like to shake your hands,
And greet you one by one;
But we are now too far apart,
And this cannot be done.
Yet I can hope, and wish, and pray
That Heaven's eternal joys
May fall like dew upon your heads,
My noble railroad boys."

CHAPTER XIX EVENTS OF RECENT YEARS

MY dear mother, who was so many years a comfort to me, passed peacefully from this world to that brighter home above, Sep-tember 2, 1890. She had lived to attain the grand old age of ninety-one years; and had always enjoyed good health until a short time before her death. Her last days were calm and beautiful, a blessing to all who knew her. A short time after her death, as a tribute of my devotion to her, I composed the following poem:

"Her voyage of life is ended,
Her anchor firmly cast,
Her bark that many a storm has braved
Is safe in port at last.
Surrounded by her treasured ones,
Our mother passed away
Beneath the golden sunset
Of summer's brightest day.

"She waited for the summons
That called her to depart,
And heard the voice of Jesus
Like music in her heart.
Not hopeless in our sorrow
We lay her down to sleep,
Where He, our Lord and Saviour,
A hallowed watch will keep.

"We loved our tender mother
Far more than words can tell,
And while with deep emotion
We breathe our fond farewell,
We know her tranquil spirit
Has reached the longed-for shore,
And now with joy is greeting
The loved ones gone before.

"Oh, mother, we are coming;
The time will not be long
Till we shall clasp thy hand again,
And join the blessed song.
The sheaf of wheat is garnered,
The sickle's work is done,
And everlasting glory
Through Christ her soul has won."

Besides often making addresses before various religious bodies, such as the Young Men's Christian Associations, Sabbath schools and churches of many creeds, during the last twenty years, I have been led to write some of my most abiding hymns: "Jesus is Calling," "My Saviour First of All," "Blessed Day," "Resting by the River," "Never Say Good Bye," "He Hideth My Soul," "Meet Me There," "Come with Rejoicing," "Safe in the Glory Land," and "Yes, There is Pardon for You." "How many hymns have you written?" is a question I often hear. The exact number has never been recorded but the Biglow and Main Company inform me that I have written five thousand five hundred for them alone; and I may have composed half as many more for several authors of music. None of the infirmities incident to old age have touched me as yet; and my active labors still continue amid the many kind friends whom God has sent to enrich this earthly life. Among these are I. Allan Sankey, who has set the notes to many of my hymns, Hubert P. Main, Sidney A. Saunders, and George Leonard, all of whom are, or have been, associated with the Biglow and Main Company of New York.

This firm in 1897 issued a volume of my poems, entitled "Bells at Evening and Other Verses," and con-taining one hundred twenty-four pages. The initial poem, which gave the title to the book, was inspired by a little reminiscence of the lovely village of Ledyard, New York, where I visited more than fifty years ago; and the incident narrated is partly true and partly imagi-native.

The city of Bridgeport has always had peculiar attractions for me, not only because it has long been the home of most of those who are near my heart by ties of blood, but because also of the delightful acquaint-ance of many of her generous citizens. Prior to 1900, therefore, my sisters had urged me, for some years, to give up my residence in New York; and thus to consider this city my permanent home. To this end they were heartily seconded by my publishers, who wished to relieve me, as much as possible, after a busy life, from the care and anxiety to which my life as a hymn-writer necessarily was subjected; and principally to place me under the immediate care of those who were ready and willing to do everything in their power to render me the happiest mortal in the world. But I did not accede to their request until, in 1900, through a serious illness, the good Lord over-ruled my objection to what seemed like a partial retirement from active labors; and so in May of that year I bade farewell to my many friends in New York, assuring them that I should visit them fre-quently, as I believed in the enjoyment of perfect health. This has indeed been true; since the fresh and invigorating air did what it had done for me a number of times before, when I came to Bridgeport on visits to my mother. And I need not say that here I found a most cordial welcome from those whom I had loved so long and well. Besides my beloved sisters, Mrs. Julia M. Athington and Mrs. Carrie W. Rider, Mrs. Athington has a daughter, Mrs. Leschon; and I had one brother, William, who died in 1880, leaving three children, Laura Frances, now Mrs. William Tait; Florence, now Mrs. Henry D. Booth; and Albert Morris, who married Miss Clara Hope; all of whom, with their children, live near me, and serve to make my life like a stream without a ripple upon its silver waters, or a sky without a cloud to dim the golden sunlight. Besides I have cousins in Hartford, Bridge-port, Savannah, Georgia, and New York City.