He then sang it again softly. The actor heard him through and then shaking hands with the Negro, to his surprise, said, “Good night, uncle. You’ve done a good night’s work with that song—better than ever I’ve done with my life. Because you’ve started me doing something—for I’m going to learn to sing that song, too!” That was the beginning of an experience which resulted in a gifted man becoming a minister of Christ. The characteristic gratitude of the dark race was illustrated when A Negro Family Sang at John Brown’s Funeral “John Brown’s Body Rests Amid the Mountains,” wrote Mary Lee in _The New York Times_, October, 1929, as she vividly told the story of the life of this dramatic figure in a fascinating manner. At that time, she affirmed, there was still living at North Elba one man who could remember John Brown. His name was Lyman Epps, “the son of one of those Negroes whom John Brown came to North Elba to help.” This writer adds: “The Epps family it was who sang as a quartet at John Brown’s funeral in 1859. Lyman Epps remembers it to this day—how he stood at the foot of the open casket singing bass, his father at the head, singing tenor, and his two sisters, Amelia and Evelyn, singing soprano and alto, at his side.” The hymn they sang was John Brown’s favorite: “Blow ye the trumpet, blow! The gladly solemn sound Let all the nations know, To earth’s remotest bound, The year of jubilee is come! Return, ye ransomed sinners, home.” CHAPTER XIII _Christmas and Easter Melodies_ These two great festivals of the Christian year fittingly celebrate the Incarnation and Resurrection of Christ. Just as hope came with the Saviour of the world, so hope was quickened when He won the signal victory over death. He is indeed the unspeakable gift of God, and the spirit of gratitude for this marvelous blessing is best celebrated in song. The greatest hymns of the Church are inspired by these two events, which have liberated the human spirit and filled it with faith, joy, enthusiasm, loyalty. All the greatest poets, artists, musicians, were illuminated by the Christmas and Easter messages, and excelled themselves in setting forth the jubilant truths of redemption and eternal life through Christ the Lord of love and light. These productions have enriched the thought, excited the imagination and ennobled the lives of multitudes through all the Christian centuries. This they will continue to do to the end of time. The fount of poetic and artistic inspiration still flows, and from time to time there are added new contributions to swell the jubilation of these two seasons and to spread peace and goodwill among men. Bishop F. W. Warne recalls An Incarnation Hymn that Fires the Imagination