1844, but since the music and hymn became "one and indivisable" it has
been named "Webb," and popularly _known_ as "Morning Light" or oftener
still by its first hymn-line, "The morning light is breaking."

George James Webb was born near Salisbury, Wiltshire, Eng., June 24,
1803. He studied music in Salisbury and for several years played the
organ at Falmouth Church. When still a young man (1830), he came to the
United States, and settled in Boston where he was long the leading
organist and music teacher of the city. He was associate director of the
Boston Academy of Music with Lowell Mason, and joint author and editor
with him of several church-music collections. Died in Orange, N.J., Nov.
7, 1887.

Dr. Webb's own account of the tune "Millennial Dawn" states that he
wrote it at sea while on his way to America--and to secular words and
that he had no idea who first adapted it to the hymn, nor when.

"IF I WERE A VOICE, A PERSUASIVE VOICE."

This animating lyric was written by Charles Mackay. Sung by a good
vocalist, the fine solo air composed (with its organ chords) by I.B.
Woodbury, is still a feature in some missionary meetings, especially the
fourth stanza--

If I were a voice, an immortal voice,
I would fly the earth around:
And wherever man to his idols bowed,
I'd publish in notes both long and loud
The Gospel's joyful sound.
I would fly, I would fly, on the wings of day,
Proclaiming peace on my world-wide way,
Bidding the saddened earth rejoice--
If I were a voice, an immortal voice,
I would fly, I would fly,
I would fly on the wings of day.

Charles Mackay, the poet, was born in Perth, Scotland, 1814, and
educated in London and Brussels; was engaged in editorial work on the
_London Morning Chronicle_ and _Glasgow Argus_, and during the Corn Law
agitation wrote popular songs, notably "The Voice of the Crowd" and
"There's a Good Time Coming," which (like the far inferior poetry of
Ebenezer Elliot) won the lasting love of the masses for a superior man
who could be "The People's Singer and Friend." He came to the United
States in 1857 as a lecturer, and again in 1862, remaining three years
as war correspondent of the _London Times_. Glasgow University made him
LL.D. in 1847. His numerous songs and poems were collected in a London
edition. Died Dec. 24, 1889.

Isaac Baker Woodbury was born in Beverly, Mass., 1819, and rose from the
station of a blacksmi