But here comes a difficulty. Over sixty original settings, some of them by distinguished musicians, have been written for the hymn, which thus suffers from an embarrassment of riches. It is associated with no one tune. The original setting which has, thus far, won widest acceptance is that of the former Municipal Organist of Portland, Will C. MacFarlane (sold by Cressey and Allen, 534 Congress Street, Portland, Maine). His tune, which is played on the city chimes of Springfield, Mass., he has made the theme of a spirited march, _America the Beautiful_, arranged for band music. In an octavo published by Oliver Ditson Company are included four settings, one by Clarence G. Hamilton, professor of music at Wellesley College, and another by W. W. Sleeper, formerly pastor of the Wellesley Congregational Church. Both these settings have found favor with choruses and made their way into various hymnals. This octavo carries, also, settings by William Arms Fisher, musical editor of the Boston house of Ditson. Other tunes that have a strong following are those of the celebrated composer, Horatio W. Parker (in the _Methodist Sunday School Hymnal_), Charles S. Brown (in _Junior Carols_, Society of Christian Endeavor), John Stainer (in the _Pilgrim Hymnal_), J. A. Demuth, professor of music at Oberlin (in _Oberlin’s Favorite Hymns_, published by Arthur P. Schmidt), and Herbert G. Peabody of Fitchburg, Mass., (published by H. W. Gray Company of New York). Other attractive settings, published, privately printed or yet in manuscript, have their special circles, and the words have been fitted to various old tunes, as those of _Auld Lang Syne_, _The Harp that Once through Tara’s Halls_, _The Son of God goes forth to War_ and _O Mother Dear Jerusalem_. To this last, Materna, by S. A. Ward, in many hymnals and well known throughout the country, _America the Beautiful_ is at present most often sung. That the hymn has gained, in these twenty odd years, such a hold as it has upon our people, is clearly due to the fact that Americans are at heart idealists, with a fundamental faith in human brotherhood. Katharine Lee Bates (Quoted by permission.) _MUSIC._ MATERNA (Mother) was composed for “O mother dear, Jerusalem.” The composer, Samuel Ward, 1847-1903, resided at Newark, N. J., where he operated a successful music business and was for 14 years the director of the Orpheus Club. The tune has by popular preference become inseparably associated with the words. 344. My country, ’tis of thee _Samuel F. Smith_, 1808-95 The best loved of our patriotic hymns, widely used, and deeply imbedded in the American soul. His Harvard classmate, Oliver Wendell Holmes, saluted Smith in a poem written for their class reunion on the 30th anniversary of their graduation as follows: