Author talk:W. A. Fletcher
Source[edit]
The lyrics to the song “Farther Along” were written by Rev. W. A. Fletcher, an itinerant
preacher while traveling on a train to the Indian Territories near the end of 1911. He was
feeling a bit sad because his wife was expecting their first-born child in a few weeks and
he wouldn’t be there for the occasion. He felt that his priorities were to his obligations
with his ministry in the Indian Territories and wrote the lyrics to reflect his frame of
mind at the time. Sitting next to him was J. R. Baxter, a gospel music promoter who was quite taken with the
lyrics that the Rev. Fletcher was writing and offered him $2.00 for them. Mr. Baxter then
had them put to music and the song has been quite popular in the gospel music arena ever
since. Contributed by James Greer (Grandson of Rev. W. A. Fletcher)