▁ ▁Imp act ▁The ▁song ▁became ▁highly ▁popular ▁for ▁dec ades ▁after ▁McK in ley ’ s ▁service . ▁ ▁The ▁t une ▁and ▁lyr ics ▁have ▁been ▁pra ised ▁as ▁“ be aut iful ,” ▁but ▁pra ise ▁for ▁the ▁song ▁has ▁not ▁been ▁universal . ▁ ▁So on ▁after ▁the ▁McK in ley ▁service ▁it ▁was ▁p anned ▁by ▁The ▁Independent ▁as ▁a ▁singular ▁bl ot ▁to ▁the ▁memory ▁of ▁the ▁late ▁president . ▁ ▁Wood row ▁Wilson , ▁while ▁governor ▁of ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁stated ▁the ▁song ▁could ▁be ▁harm ful ▁if ▁taught ▁to ▁children , ▁as ▁it ▁was ▁" s illy " ▁and ▁" v ague ." ▁ ▁The ▁Se vent h - day ▁Advent ist ▁publication ▁Sign s ▁of ▁the ▁Times ▁said ▁" A men " ▁to ▁the ▁future ▁U . S . ▁President , ▁listing ▁it ▁among ▁songs ▁" ine x press ibly ▁weak ▁and ▁shall ow ". ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁John ▁D . ▁Rock ef eller ▁was ▁end ors ing ▁its ▁use ▁in ▁church . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁William ▁Henry ▁O ' Con nell , ▁the ▁Arch bishop ▁of ▁Boston , ▁b anned ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁t une ▁in ▁fun er als , ▁calling ▁the ▁h ymn ▁" in ane " ▁and ▁" tr ash y ." ▁ ▁Card inal ▁O ' Con nell ▁was ▁concerned ▁it ▁was ▁among ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁songs ▁composed ▁by ▁authors ▁whose ▁" ma ud lin ▁sentiment " ▁over shadow ed ▁their