Mr. Black was an earnest Sunday school teacher who loved to help boys and girls. One day he walked through a poor section of his native town of Williamsport and saw a sad-faced little girl sitting on a doorstep. Bessie was the daughter of a drunkard father and was poorly dressed. Mr. Black asked her if she would like to come to Sunday school. Her eyes brightened as she answered wistfully, “Yes”; but then she cast a sad look at her ragged dress, as if to say, “but I’d be ashamed to come.” However, the next day a new dress, new shoes and hat arrived, and Bessie showed up at Sunday school all smiles. She came often to Sunday school after that.
But one evening when they were having special services for the children, the roll call was made and the children each answered with a text of Scripture. But when Bessie’s name was called there was no answer. Mr. Black called her name again, but no response—Bessie wasn’t there.
When Mr. Black spoke to the children that evening, he remarked how sad it would be for anyone to be absent when in heaven the names are called of all those written in the Lamb’s book of life. It was a very impressive message and the children’s hearts were solemnized.
Wanting something to sing on this occasion, Mr. Black searched through the hymn book but could not find just what he wanted. Then after the meeting was over, as he walked home, he kept wishing for such a hymn, and the thought came to him, “Why not write one yourself?” At first he dismissed such a thought from his mind. Then as he thought of little Bessie’s absence, he prayed and thanked the Lord that he could say, for himself, “When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.” He knew the Lord Jesus as his Saviour and he had peace with God.
When he reached home, Mrs. Black sensed something was troubling him, and asked what was the cause of his anxiety. Mr. Black did not reply, but just then the words of the first stanza of a new hymn came into his mind in full.
“When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more,
When the morning breaks eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder,
I’ll be there.”
A few minutes later two more verses were also written down, and then Mr. Black sat down to the piano and composed the melody that came to him almost at the same time.
Little Bessie was too ill to come to the Sunday school that evening, and shortly after she passed away. We can only hope that she died trusting in Jesus who died for little children, the blessed Saviour she had learned about in the Sunday school. But the hymn she had inspired lives on. It has been sung around the world, and translated into many languages as well.
“And the city lieth foursquare. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass...
“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.., “For there shall be no night there...
“And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth,... but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” (See Revelation 21:16-2716And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. 25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. 27And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. (Revelation 21:16‑27).)
ML 07/11/1965