Published: September 12, 2008 02:22 pm            

Hymns – Sweet Bye and Bye

It was over one hundred years ago in 1867 that Joseph P. Webster felt that he could not handle life’s problems anymore. He had a good friend in town who owned a local drug store, and people would come in to get medicine and sit around a potbelly stove and tell stories and pass the time away.

Mr. Webster’s attitude was always sad and sorrowful. While his friend, the druggist, Samuel Filmore Bennett, always tried to be upbeat. With his sunny disposition, he was always able to lend an ear to his friend, Mr. Webster.

The store was located in Elkton, Wis., a very small town, and the local people were concerned with the mental state of Mr. Webster.

One day a lady came into the drug store and told Mr. Bennett that she had met Mr. Webster down the street and that he seemed very depressed.

He was a very good musician and everyone wanted him to play his music and lift his spirit.

The lady asked Mr. Bennett if there was anything he could do to help him. Mr. Bennett answered that he could only advise him to pray.

Later, Mr. Webster came into the drug store to get warm by the potbellied stove, but never spoke a word to Mr. Bennett.

“Good morning, Joseph,” said Mr. Bennett. There was no answer. “Well what’s the matter this morning?” asked Mr. Bennett sympathetically.

Mr. Webster replied with probably the most important words he ever spoke: “There’s really no use worrying, everything will be all right in the bye and bye.”

“What did you say, Joseph?” asked Mr. Bennett. “Oh, I just said everything will be alright in the bye and bye,” repeated Mr. Webster.

Mr. Bennett went straight to his desk and began writing on a small piece of paper. Two other customers came in, but Mr. Bennett left them standing by the stove with Mr. Webster.

A few minutes later, Mr. Bennett came out with his new poem. “Here, Joseph, is your prescription,” he grinned.

Mr. Webster had left his violin in the drug store the day before, and Mr. Bennett handed it to him.

Joseph read the lyrics:

There’s a land that is fairer than day

And by faith, we can see it afar

For the Father waits over the way

To prepare us a dwelling place there.

In the sweet bye and bye

We shall meet on that beautiful shore

In the sweet bye and bye

We shall meet on that beautiful shore.

After reading the poem, Mr. Webster started improvising a melody on the violin. He asked for a piece of paper to write down the notes as they came to him, so he would not forget them.

He played the tune over two or three times after he finished it. Then he suggested to Mr. Bennett and the two customers, that they sing it as a quartet.

As they were finishing the chorus, in the sweet bye and bye a man came in the store from across the street and said, “I have never heard that hymn before, but I would say it is immortal.”



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.