ted down this
hymn in Deacon Watson's parlor" (as he says) and passed it to his wife,
one evening after he had made "a conference-room talk" on the 23d Psalm.

Mrs. Gilmore, without his knowledge, sent it to the _Watchman and
Reflector_ (now the _Watchman_).

Years after its publication in that paper, when a candidate for the
pastorate of the Second Baptist Church in Rochester, he was turning the
leaves of the vestry hymnal in use there, and saw his hymn in it. Since
that first publication in the _Devotional Hymn and Tune Book_ (1865) it
has been copied in the hymnals of various denominations, and steadily
holds its place in public favor. The refrain added by the tunemaker
emphasizes the sentiment of the lines, and undoubtedly enhances the
effect of the hymn.

"He leadeth me" has the true hymn quality, combining all the simplicity
of spontaneous thought and feeling with perfect accent and liquid
rhythm.

He leadeth me! Oh, blessed thought,
Oh, words with heavenly comfort fraught;
Whate'er I do, where'er I be,
Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me!

* * * * *

Lord, I would clasp Thy hand in mine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine--
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since 'tis my God that leadeth me.

Professor Joseph Henry Gilmore was born in Boston, April 29, 1834. He
was graduated at Phillips Academy, Andover, at Brown University, and at
the Newton Theological Institution, where he was afterwards Hebrew
instructor.

After four years of pastoral service he was elected (1867) professor of
the English Language and Literature in Rochester University. He has
published _Familiar Chats on Books and Reading_, also several college
text-books on rhetoric, logic and oratory.

_THE TUNE._

The little hymn of four stanzas was peculiarly fortunate in meeting the
eye of Mr. William B. Bradbury, (1863) and winning his musical sympathy
and alliance. Few composers have so exactly caught the tone and spirit
of their text as Bradbury did when he vocalized the gliding measures of
"He leadeth me."

CHAPTER VI.

CHRISTIAN BALLADS.

Echoes of Hebrew thought, if not Hebrew psalmody, may have made their
way into the more serious pagan literature. At least in the more
enlightened pagans there has ever revealed itself more or less the
instinct of the human soul that "feels after" God. St. Paul in his
address to the Athenians made a tactful as well as scholarly poin