OBITUARY

Otago Witness, Issue 2840, 19 August 1908, Page 25

OBITUARY

MR IRA P. SANKEY. NEW YORK, August 15. The death "of Mr Ira D. Sankey, {American evangelist, is announced.

Ira D. Sankey, American evangelist, was fcbrn in Edinburgh, Pa., 1840. His father, David, was for many years a State senator, president of a bank, and an editor. As a. boy, Ira displayed a great liking for music. The family removed ~to New Gastlei Pa., -where, at the age of 15, he. united with tihe Methodist Church, of .which his parents were members. He became leader of the choir, superintendent of the Sunday school, and president of the Young Men's Ghr.istia.n Association in the town? in 1870 he first met Dw%ht L. Moody, and from that time until the death of the lafcfcer he was associated with him ,in his evangelistic work as a singer, ?irid attained a wide reputation. He was the compiler of " Sacred Song 6 and Solos," whioh-- has "been translated into many languages, and which has had a circulation o£ ( so,ooo,ooo— larger than any other book of-, hymns. He was the composer of several well-known tunes, such as " The ninety and nine," *' When, the i mists have rolled, away," "Faith is the -victory," and '* A"' shelter in the time of storm." After the death of Mr Moody, Mr Sankey en-

gaged in lecturing on his favourite theme ' of~"Siored Song' and Story," "Singing through Egypt and Palestine," " Memoirs of>Moody, etc., in America and Great Britain. He gave to New Castle,. Philadelphia, ac a 'free gift a V.M.C.A. and public library building, and -he also gave a building site to the Methodist CJhurch there.