Julian Stearns Cutler, born at Thomaston, Maine, graduated from Tufts Theological School, Tufts College, Mass., in 1885, and served Universalist churches in Marblehead, Melrose, and Orange, Mass., 1896-1904; in Little Falls, N. Y., 1904-10; and in Pawtucket, R. I., 1910-26. He wrote a good deal of occasional verse published in newspapers, especially in the Boston Transcript, and his collected poems were privately printed under the title, Songs of Cheer, about a year after his death. His hymn, “Motherhood, sublime, eternal,” written about 1910, was adapted for use in Universalist hymn books and in slightly altered form in Hymns of the Spirit, 1937. It was taken from the latter for use in the Hymnary.
MUSIC. MOTHERHOOD. No information has been traced concerning the origin of this tune or its composer, Willis A. Moore, except that Moore was a member of the Universalists but left their fellowship some years ago. The Universalist Publishing House, Boston, from whom inquiry was made, has no further information at hand.
FAREWELL SERVICE
365. God be with you till we meet again
Jeremiah E. Rankin, 1828-1904
Written for the purpose of a Christian good-by.
The author, Jeremiah E. Rankin, was pastor of the First Congregational Church in Washington, D. C., when he wrote this hymn. Later, in 1889, he became president of Howard University, a Negro institution in the same city. He was always a friend of the colored people and did what he could for their advancement.
He has given us the origin of the hymn as follows:
Written in 1882 as a Christian good-by, it was called forth by no person or occasion, but was deliberately composed as a Christian hymn on the basis of the etymology of “good-by,” which is “God be with you.” The first stanza was written and sent to two composers—one of unusual note, the other wholly unknown and not thoroughly educated in music. I selected the composition of the latter, submitted it to J. W. Bishoff (the musical director of a little book we were preparing), who approved of it but made some criticisms which were adopted. It was sung for the first time one evening in the First Congregational Church in Washington, of which I was then the pastor and Mr. Bishoff the organist. I attributed its popularity in no little part to the music to which it was set. It was a wedding of words and music, at which it was my function to preside; but Mr. Tomer should have his full share of the family honor.
MUSIC. FAREWELL was composed by William G. Tomer, 1832-96, an American journalist who made music his avocation. In early life he taught school, later becoming the editor of the Hunterdon Gazette at High Ridge, New Jersey. The hymn he helped make famous was sung at his funeral by a large assembly of friends and neighbors.