Woodbury on shipboard during a storm at sea. A stronger illustration of
tranquil thought in terrible tumult was never drawn.

"O Galilee, Sweet Galilee," whose history has been given at the end of
chapter six, was not only often sung in Sunday-schools, but chimed (in
the cities) on steeple-bells--nor is it by any means forgotten today--on
the Sabbath and in social singing assemblies. Like "Precious Jewels," it
has been, in many places, taken up by street boys with a relish, and
often displaced the play-house ditties in the lips of little newsboys
and bootblacks during a leisure hour or a happy mood.

"I AM SO GLAD"

This lively little melody is still a welcome choice to many a lady
teacher of fluttering five-year-olds, when both vocal indulgence and
good gospel are needed for the prattlers in her class. It has been as
widely sung in Scotland as in America. Mr. Philip P. Bliss, hearing one
day the words of the familiar chorus--

O, how I love Jesus,

--suddenly thought to himself,--

"I have sung long enough of my poor love to Christ, and now I will sing
of His love for me." Under the inspiration of this thought, he wrote--

I am so glad that our Father in heaven
Tells of His love in the book He has given
Wonderful things in the Bible I see,
This is the dearest--that Jesus loves me.

Both words and music are by Mr. Bliss.

The history of modern Sunday-school hymnody--or much of it--is so nearly
identified with that of the _Gospel Hymns_ that other selections like
the last, which might be appropriate here, may be considered in a later
chapter, where that eventful series of sacred songs receives special
notice.

CHAPTER IX.

PATRIOTIC HYMNS.

The ethnic anthologies growing out of love of country are a mingled
literature of filial and religious piety, ranging from war-like paeans to
lyric prayers. They become the cherished inheritance of a nation, and,
once fixed in the common memory and common heart, the people rarely let
them die. The "Songs of the Fathers" have perennial breath, and in every
generation--

The green woods of their native land
Shall whisper in the strain;
The voices of their household band
Shall sweetly speak again.
--_Felicia Hemans_.

ULTIMA THULE.

American pride has often gloried in Seneca's "Vision of the West," more
than eighteen hundred years ago.

Venient annis
Saecula seris, qu