Published: August 15, 2008 10:38 am            

Hymns – 'When the Roll Is Called'

The Bible tells us there are two “whosoevers” when it comes to the subject of eternal life.

The first is found in John 3:16, where trusting in God’s son gives a person eternal and everlasting life. The second is found in Revelations 20:15 and pronounces doom and separation from God into an eternity of suffering.

This is the second death. Someday there will be a great roll call in heaven.

Unfortunately, many will not be there to respond.

Back in 1892, James Milton Black was responsible for the roll call every Sunday morning at the Methodist Church in Williamsport, Pa.

A little girl named Bessie, age 14, had faithfully been attending Sunday school, and with each roll call Superintendent Black would hear her respond.

It was Mr. Black who had invited Bessie to attend Sunday school, and since she came from a poor home, she did not have proper clothing to wear to church, so Mr. Black furnished her with clothing and shoes so she could attend.

One Sunday morning, Mr. Black made the roll call and Bessie did not answer. Bessie was absent for the first time since she had begun attending Sunday school. Mr. Black knew of Bessie’s home life and he began to worry.

He was concerned for her welfare because her father was a drunkard and did not care for her attending church.

After church that morning, Mr. Black made his way to Bessie’s home, fearing the worst. When he arrived, he found Bessie to be very, very ill.

Realizing that it was serious, he summoned his own doctor who diagnosed it as a case of advanced pneumonia.

As Mr. Black made his way back home that Sunday afternoon, he could not throw off the feeling that had come over him when Bessie failed to respond to the roll call that morning. He thought of the greater roll call coming someday in heaven, and oh the sadness there will be for those whose names are not written in the “Lamb’s Book of Life.”

That morning he had tried to find a song that expressed his feelings for that special girl missing from the roll call, but could not find one. When he arrived home, Mr. Black went into his parlor, sat down at the piano, and without any effort, began to write. This is the message that God gave him.

The song was not sung publicly until it was sung at Bessie’s funeral. The words and music were composed in 15 minutes and were never changed.

They remain to this day just as Mr. Black wrote them.



Stories Behind the Hymns is taken from “104 Of My Favorite Hymn Stories, Vols. I and II,” written by Warren Shiver of Biscoe. He can be reached by e-mail at wshiver99@embarqmail.com or by snail mail at P.O. Box 775, Biscoe, NC 27209. Visit www.myfavoritehymnstories.com for more information on purchasing the books.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.