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 488 / 430 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.