Scripture Verse

Introduction

Origin of the Hymn

It was in 1876 that I wrote ‘Beu­lah Land.’ I could write on­ly two vers­es and the cho­rus, when I was ov­er­come and fell on my face. That was one Sun­day. On the fol­low­ing Sun­day I wrote the third and fourth vers­es, and again I was so in­flu­enced by emo­tion that I could on­ly pray and weep.

The first time it was sung was at the re­gu­lar Mon­day morn­ing meet­ing of Me­tho­dists in Phi­la­del­phia. Bi­shop Mc­Cabe sang it to the as­sem­bled min­is­ters. Since then it is known wher­ev­er re­li­gious peo­ple con­gre­gate. I have ne­ver re­ceived a cent for my songs. Per­haps that is why they have had such a wide po­pu­la­ri­ty. I could not do work for the Mas­ter and re­ceive pay for it.

Edgar Stites

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First sung at Ocean Grove, New Jers­ey, at a great ga­ther­ing of Me­tho­dists, this hymn at once be­came ve­ry po­pu­lar. It has been sung in ev­ery land where the name of Christ is known.

The sec­re­ta­ry of the Young Men’s Chris­tian As­so­cia­tion at Ply­mouth, Eng­land, wrote me a beau­ti­ful sto­ry of a young la­dy, who sang it on her dy­ing bed as she passed in­to the land that is fair­er than day.

I sang this fa­vo­rite song ov­er the dead bo­dy of my friend, Mr. Swe­ney, at the church of which he was a lead­ing member, in West Ches­ter, Penn­syl­van­ia, on the day of his bu­ri­al.

Sankey, pp. 135–36