n 1865 or 1866, and this volume
contains "Tell me the Old, Old Story," and its answer.

We have been told that Miss Hankey was recovering from a serious
illness, and employed her days of convalescence in composing this song
of devotion, beginning it in January and finishing it in the following
November.

The poem is very long--a thesaurus of evangelical thoughts, attitudes,
and moods of faith--and also a magazine of hymns. Four quatrains of it,
or two eight-line stanzas, are the usual length of a hymnal selection,
and editors can pick and choose anywhere among its expressive verses.

Tell me the old, old story
Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of Jesus and His love.

Tell me the story simply
As to a little child,
For I am weak and weary,
And helpless and defiled.

* * * * *

Tell me the story simply
That I may take it in--
That wonderful Redemption,
God's remedy for sin.

_THE TUNE._

Dr. W.H. Doane was present at the International Conference of the
Y.M.C.A. at Montreal in 1867, and heard the poem read--with tears and in
a broken voice--by the veteran Major-General Russell. It impressed him
so much that he borrowed and copied it, and subsequently set it to music
during a vacation in the White Mountains.

The poem of fifty stanzas was entitled "The Story Wanted;" the sequel or
answer to it, by Miss Hankey, was named "The Story Told." This second
hymn, of the same metre but different accent, was supplied with a tune
by William Gustavus Fischer.

I love to tell the story
Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of Jesus and His love.

* * * * *

I love to tell the story
Because I know its true;
It satisfies my longings
As nothing else can do.

CHORUS.
I love to tell the story;
'Twill be my theme in glory;
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and his love.

William Gustavus Fischer was born in Baltimore, Md., Oct. 14, 1835. He
was a piano-dealer in the firm (formerly) of Gould and Fischer. His
melody to the above hymn was written in 1869, and was harmonized the
next year by Hubert P. Main.

THE PRODIGAL CHILD.

This is not only an impressive hymn as sung in sympathetic music, but a
touching poem.

Come home! come home!
You are weary at heart,
For the way has been dark