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1856, though he lived, worked, and died in Pennsylvania. He was
a music teacher, and composer of hymns.

On his way one Sunday, to lead a class at Sunday School, he met
a ragged, poorly clothed young girl. As they talked she told him her
name was Bessie and she was 14 years of age, and her father
was an alcoholic. James promised to send his wife and another
woman round to her home with some dresses for her, and invited
her to join the youth group that met at the church. She attended
regularly.

It was the custom at these meetings for a roll call to be taken, and
as each member’s name was called out to answer with a text from
the Bible that they had memorised during the week. When Bessie’s
name was mentioned there was no reply. James told the class that
it would be terrible on that day when names were read out from the
Lamb’s Book of Life for your name not to be there. Immediately,
the thought came to him of writing a hymn on the subject. The
more he thought about it, the more he was moved to put pen to
paper, and the hymn, exactly as we know it, was born.

He visited Bessie’s home and discovered why she had been
absent from the group - she was desperately ill in bed. As the
family didn’t have a doctor, he sent for his own doctor who
diagnosed typhoid fever. Sadly, she died within a few days. When
he took the funeral, he explained Bessie’s absence from the class
on that day was the reason for the hymn they were about to sing -
“When the roll is called up yonder”

Will You be there?
Graham Neads

Copy Date

for JUNE Newsletter is
15th May

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