THE AUTHOR OF " THERE IS A HAPPY LAND."

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2242, 2 October 1889, Page 2

THE AUTHOR OF " THERE IS A HAPPY LAND."

Mr Andrew Youop, tho author of 11 There is a Happy Land," the most populur Suoday school byuan m tho world, addressed the children's service m the Albert HalJ, Edinburgh, on •a reoect Sunday. Ho is now eighty years of age, still mentally and phjsioaliy vigorous, and retaining, la all its early frahnesß his ctymputhy with children. The bymn w&b oomposed m 1838. The tune to whioh it is married is aa old Indian air, whioh has blended with the mueio of the woods m the primeval forest long before Sunday sohools were the gbt of. The hymn was oomposed fos the /nelidyi Its bright »nd strongly-m -irked phrases ottuok Mr Young'a musical ear the first time be heard U m a drawing room. He auked for It aj?»ln and again. It; flaunted htm. Balng acoustomed to relieve the o 1 amour of bis thoughts and feelings In rhyme, words naturally followed, and so the hymn was oreated. Mr Young happened to hnve this hymn p r'ormed m the prejaooe of his intimate frlond, Mr GjII, a membet of the publishing firm of Gall and logllsh. it got into print. It hak been translated into nlnoteen dlflforent Uugaßges, And yot tho nuthcr hBB never raoolved, and Irdeed, huo never boen offered s penny m remuneration. It is ouly recently that Prof aMor David Masaon rafarrluy to the nnlqao Influence of this lyilo, stated a most touching incident m tho life of Thackeray. Walking ona day ia a "«lam" district lv London, he snddinly came upon a baad of gittec children sitting on the pavement. They were singing. Drawing nearer, he heard the words, '• Thtre Is a happy hnd, far, far away 1 ' As he looted at the ragged ohocisters and thalr sqnalld sorrouudings, and ssw that their pale faces were lit up with a, thought whioh brought both furgetiuloeas and hopn, the tender hearted oynlo burst Into toara.