In the spring of 1908, Charles Alexander returned to Philadelphia with evangelist J. and was sung and whistled all over the grounds.” One reporter described how this song “captivated everybody.
The following summer, 1907, the song was introduced at the Moody Bible Conference in Northfield, Massachusetts. I read over the lines of “He will hold me fast” the melody came to me, and I worked it out there and then, writing the music for the verses and the chorus. During a sermon I took out some slips of paper with some words which Miss Habershon had sent over in response to a request for some verses about keeping the power of Christ. Torrey was preaching to about 4000 people in the Armory. It was 1906, during the Mission in Philadelphia. Harkness later described how Habershon’s reply came after the team had moved their work to Philadelphia: By one account, Harkness had met a young convert there, who “expressed the fear that he would not be able to hold out,” so he wrote to Habershon in England to request more texts to address this sentiment. In early 1906, the team was in Toronto, Canada. During the last days of the campaign on the Strand it was sung on an average at least once in each meeting. The hymn was quickly printed as originally written-without any alteration whatever-and delighted everyone who was privileged to hear it. Torrey’s sermon one night, as the pianist scanned the lines, he had an inspiration, and, pulling from his pocket a piece of paper jotted down the melody. Harkness with the request that he would set them to music. Soon afterwards, Miss Habershon handed the lines to Mr. Torrey speak one afternoon upon “The Second Coming of Christ.” She was much impressed by the Doctor’s words, and on returning home wrote the beautiful lines of the hymn. . . She was a worker in the campaign, and heard Dr. It was entitled, “Oh, what a change!” and was written by a lady already widely known for her sacred verse, Miss Ada R. Alexander’s collection of revival hymns, which achieved instant popularity. In 1905, while in London, toward the end of their campaign, the team came into contact with songstress Ada Habershon (1861–1918), yielding their first collaborative composition:Ī few days before the movement in the Strand ended, a new gospel song was added to Mr. In addition, Alexander was so impressed by Harkness’ abilities that he employed the young man in his traveling music team, forming a partnership that lasted several years.Īfter their work in Australia, the team traveled to Tasmania, New Zealand, and India before shifting their efforts to the British Isles. Harkness, moved by Alexander’s genuine concern for his spiritual welfare, accepted. Torrey left me and went away, to pray for me-I think.Īfter that experience, Alexander challenged Harkness to accept Christ. I straightened up and said, “No, I am here to play the piano.” Dr.
LEARN TO PLAY GOSPEL PIANO ROBERT HARKNESS FULL
The next time we had the chorus I played a full octave accompaniment, thinking he would surely be upset, but he was not there to be upset. Alexander but, instead of displeasing him, he turned around and looked at me and said, “Keep it up.
In playing through the “Glory Song,” when I came to the chorus, I closed the book I had memorized it quickly and improvised an accompaniment to the chorus to try to displease Mr. I was not deeply interested, and played it in an offhand way. 7, and I was soon playing a two-line hymn, with an old Southern melody. I hadn't been in the first meeting ten minutes before I found it was going to be decidedly warm, much warmer than I had expected. I was not interested in evangelistic meetings indeed, I was rather opposed to them, but the thought struck me, that perhaps my good father and mother would be pleased if I took part in these meetings, and I consented. Prior to their coming a committee of the Mission came to me, and asked if I would not help in the meetings by playing the piano a part of the time. Alexander came to my home town of Bendigo in June.
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