hor of the "English Melody" (as ascribed in _Gospel Hymns_) is
said to have been John Jenkins Husband, born in Plymouth, Eng., about
1760. He was clerk at Surrey Chapel and composed several anthems. Came
to the United States In 1809. Settled in Philadelphia, where he taught
music and was clerk of St. Paul's P.E. Church. Died there in 1825.

His tune, exactly suited to the hymn, is a true Christian paean. It has
few equals as a rouser to a sluggish prayer-meeting--whether sung to
Bonar's words or those of Rev. William Paton Mackay (1866)--

We praise Thee, O God, for the Son of Thy love,

--with the refrain of similar spirit in both hymns--

Hallelujah! Thine the glory, Hallelujah! Amen,
Hallelujah! Thine the glory; revive us again;

--or,--

Sound His praises! tell the story of Him who was slain!
Sound His praises! tell with gladness, "He liveth again."

Husband's tune is supposed to have been written very early in the last
century. Another tune composed by him near the same date to the words--

"We are on our journey home
To the New Jerusalem,"

--is equally musical and animating, and with a vocal range that brings
out the full strength of choir and congregation.

"COME, SINNER, COME."

A singular case of the same tune originating in the brain of both author
and composer is presented in the history of this hymn of Rev. William
Ellsworth Witter, D.D., born in La Grange, N.Y., Dec. 9, 1854. He wrote
the hymn in the autumn of 1878, while teaching a district school near
his home. The first line--

While Jesus whispers to you,

--came to him during a brief turn of outdoor work by the roadside and
presently grew to twenty-four lines. Soon after, Prof. Horatio Palmer,
knowing Witter to be a verse writer, invited him to contribute a hymn to
a book he had in preparation, and this hymn was sent. Dr. Palmer set it
to music, it soon entered into several collections, and Mr. Sankey sang
it in England at the Moody meetings.

Dr. Witter gives this curious testimony,

"While I cannot sing myself, though very fond of music, the hymn sang
itself to me by the roadside _in almost the exact tune given to it by
Professor Palmer_." Which proves that Professor Palmer had the feeling
of the hymn--and that the maker of a true hymn has at least a
sub-consciousness of its right tune, though he may be neither a musician
nor a poet.

While Jesus whispers to you,
Come, sinner, come!