PP Bliss, His Life & Life Work

www.WholesomeWords.org edition 2010 P. P. Bliss, His Life & Life Work Edited by Major Whittle and W. Guest Contents Introduction by D. L. Moody Prefactory by William Guest Chapter 1 Mr. Bliss's Ancestry—His Father, John Bliss—His Early Days—Love for Music— First Sight of a Piano— Connection with the Church—Influence of a Pious Father's Example—First Musical Instruction—W. B. Bradbury; and Mr. Bliss's Tribute to his Memory. Chapter 2 Teaching in Rome, Pa.—Acquaintance with and Marriage to Lucy Young—Her Character— Working upon the Farm and Teaching Music—Letter from Rev. Darwin Cook—Mr. Bliss in his new Home—His Father 's Last Days —"Grandfather's Bible." Chapter 3 Mr. Bliss's First Musical Composition—Twelve Years' Song Writing—Removes to Chicago—First Meeting with Mr. Moody—Memorial by Dr. Goodwin—Mr. Bliss as a Clorister, and Sunday School Superintendent. Chapter 4 His Evangelistic Work—Mr. Moody's Appeal to Mr. Bliss— The Turning Point—An Experimental Meeting at Waukegan—Bliss's Consecration of Himself to God's Service—His Faith and Self-denial—Working for the Young—An Incident—His Methods of Teaching. Chapter 5 Mr. Bliss as a Composer and Author—His first Sunday- school Hymns—His Habits and Manner of Writing— Incidents that suggested his Hymns—Letter from Mr. Sankey—Last Hymn he Wrote. Chapter 6 The Work of an Evangelist—Gospel Meetings—Visit to Kenesaw Mountain—At Chicago—At Home—Philadelphia Exhibition—Night Scene—Dr. Vincent's Tribute. Chapter 7 The Last Earthly Labours—In Chicago with Evangelists— In Michigan—Impressive Scenes in Farwell Hall, Chicago. Chapter 8 In Peoria—Invitation to England—Other calls—The German Boy—Incident in Japan—Mr. Bliss's disinterestedness—Family Love—The Farewell. Chapter 9 The Disaster at Ashtabula. Chapter 10 "Be still, and know that I am God..."—Psalm 46:10 Chapter 11 The Memorial Notice which appeared in The Christian of January 25, 1877. Chapter 12 Memorial Services at Rome and Chicago—Addresses by Dr. Goodwin—Mr. Moody— Services in the Tabernacle. Chapter 13 Tributes to Mr. Bliss's Memory—Incidents of Usefulness Connected with his Hymns. Illustrations Title page, Philip Bliss, Lucy Bliss and Their Two Children Introduction I have pleasure in giving a word of introduction to the Memoirs of my dear friend and brother, P. P. Bliss. I regret the little time at my disposal prevents my writing more fully concerning THE MAN and HIS WORK. I could probably add nothing to the facts of his life that are here compiled, but I should like to tell something of how I loved and admired him. I believe he was raised up of God to write hymns for the Church of Christ in this age, as Charles Wesley was for the Church in his day. His Songs have gone around the world, and have led and will continue to lead hundreds of souls to Christ. In my estimate, he was the most highly honoured of God of any man of his time, as a writer and singer of Gospel Songs; and, with all his gifts, he was the most humble man I ever knew. I loved him as a brother, and shall cherish his memory, giving, praise to God for the grace manifested in him, while life lasts. D. L. Moody BOSTON, February, 1877. Prefatory The pleasant duty of presenting to English readers a brief but remarkable history of a rare Christian and singularly influential man has been committed to me by Messrs. Morgan and Scott. It must, however, be understood that the facts, dates, and incidents of the narrative have been derived from the records and contributions supplied by Major D. W. Whittle, who was a personal friend of Mr. Bliss, and his colleague in evangelistic labours. In preparing the English Edition, it has seemed desirable to re-write most of the Life; to entirely re-arrange the materials; and to supply links that were missing in the original narrative, by interweaving passages from the letters and tributes of regard which were placed elsewhere in the American edition. For opinions interspersed I must be held responsible. I venture to supplement Mr. Moody's Introduction by one or two statements that may better enable English readers to understand the special work of Mr. Bliss. It is scarcely five months since he and his gifted wife passed to their blessedness in circumstances inexpressibly affecting. The first thirty years of his life were years of preparation; the last seven have unquestionably left their mark on the development of the Christian Church in the two hemispheres. Clearly a religious movement, with peculiar and extensive results, has during the last seven years powerfully affected vast multitudes of persons in America and the British Isles. At a time when the masses of the population were drifting more and more from churches, and from Christianity, they have been largely brought under the influence of the primary truths of the Gospel by a new and informal method of evangelistic labour. It would exceedingly astonish those whose attention has not been turned to the subject, to learn the change that has passed over certain classes of society since the close of the year 1869. The Christian Church has also shared in the advantage. The social services of religion have become brighter; and music, which has been called "the speech of the angels," has spoken "straight to men's hearts, spirits, and to the very core and root of their souls." It is not too much to say that no one man has more contributed to these results, or done more to popularize this religious movement than PHILIP PAUL BLISS. He was too modest to comprehend his own work. He aimed at nothing lofty; but he wrote songs and hymns, and, as a composer, invested them with a musical clothing, and they have melted, soothed, and animated vast numbers of persons, and have become "familiar as household words." Nor can it be said that the effect will be transient. Hymns and music are a powerful element of Christian advancement, and some of Mr. Bliss's hymns will be long used by devout persons. Those that appear in the "Later Songs and Solos" are richer in their harmonies and accordant notes than the earlier ones; these are only now beginning to be known in England. It may be objected with candour that Mr. Bliss did not study a scientific class of music, and did not possess high poetical genius. The fact, however, remains, that wherever his hymns and music are sung with appropriate feeling, which must be demanded for all music, they have touched men's hearts, and have given new conceptions of the Gospel, as the message of heaven's mercy to our poor, tempted, and sinful race. It is no doubt true that the introduction of singing into evangelistic services, not as an act of direct worship, but as conveying great truths to human hearts, was a new thing: but the readers of Charles Kingsley's Life will recall his statement (vol. ii., p. 93)—"All revivals of religion which I ever read of, which produced a permanent effect, owed their strength to the introduction of some new element." But it is not merely as a man who had the instincts of a musical composer that Mr. Bliss must be regarded. There was a moral grandeur about his noble meekness, sweetness of temper, and aspiring enthusiasm to fill life with brightness. His dignity, sympathy, affectionateness, courtesy, and joyousness invest his character with great loveliness. He was a holy man, but his holiness was genial and cheery. His perfect disinterestedness became a spell of ascendancy. His manliness, unassuming temper, and catholic spirit drew to him the love of Christians of all denominations, and this Memoir will show how cordial to him was the attachment of ministers of all evangelical churches. His wealth of rich emotion and high endowments made him a fitting instrument to win favour for that aggressive religious movement which is destined, if treated with confidence, to bless men increasingly. I trust, therefore, that through God's grace the history of PHILIP PAUL BLISS will soften any prejudice that may exist with respect to a movement with which his name is identified, will invest with a new interest those hymns of his which are sung everywhere in homes and religious meetings, and will impart to us all an impulse to imitate that goodness which is only perfect in Him whom he sought to exalt by word and song. William Guest Milton-on-Thames, Kent, May, 1877 Chapter 1. Mr. Bliss's Ancestry—His Father, John Bliss—His Early Days—Love for Music— First Sight of a Piano—Connection with the Church— Influence of a Pious Father's Example—First Musical Instruction—W. B. Bradbury; and Mr. Bliss's Tribute to his Memory. In the forest and mountain region of Northern Pennsylvania PHILIP PAUL BLISS was born, on July 9th, 1838. His mother bore the name of grand Puritan celebrity—that of Doolittle. She possessed the strength, patience, and wisdom of the ancestral line, and was pre- eminently a woman of prayer. His father, John Bliss, descended from an ancestor who emigrated from Wales in the days of religious persecution, and who married in 1670 Damaris Arnold, the daughter of "Governor Arnold," of Connecticut. Of John Bliss, the father, his son Philip penned the filial eulogy, "He was the best man I ever knew." Nor was this a partial testimony. He was long spoken of among his neighbours as a man of "fine simplicity, lovely tenderness, and devoted piety." Descended from the Puritans, he thought that something of austerity was consistent with his profession as a man who feared God; but his nature or his judgment got the better of his traditional convictions, and his son wrote respecting him: "He lived in continual communion with his Saviour, always happy, always trusting, always singing.

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