His Eye is on the Sparrow

#661 in Glory to God

Text: Civilla Durfee Martin
Music: Charles H. Gabriel

His Eye is on the Sparrow 

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
 

Civilla Durfee Martin (1866-1948) was born in Nova Scotia and died in Atlanta, Ga. In “His eye is on the sparrow” (1905), she has provided one of the most influential and often-recorded gospel hymns of the 20th century.

Notable versions include recordings by Shirley Ceasar, Marvin Gaye, Kirk Franklin & the Family, Mahalia Jackson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Dottie West and Barbara Mandrell.

Jessica Simpson included this song in her album Irresistible (2001). The most stirring renditions of this song are associated for many with actress-singer Ethel Waters, who loved this it so much that it became the title of her autobiography (1950).

Martin was the daughter of James N. and Irene Harding Holden, and was a schoolteacher with modest musical training. Together with her husband, Walter (1862-1935), they often wrote gospel songs for revival meetings. “Be not dismayed” (UM Hymnal, No. 130) is an example of their collaboration.

Walter Stillman Martin was a Baptist minister who received his education at Harvard. He later became a member of the Disciples of Christ, teaching at Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College) in Wilson, N.C., before moving to Atlanta in 1919, a location that became the base for revivals that he held throughout the U.S. The song was obviously inspired by Matthew 6:26: “Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”

Later in Matthew (10:29-31), the Gospel writer continues on this theme: “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not, therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Similar thoughts are cited in Luke 12:6-7. Stanza two quotes part of John 14:1 directly, “Let not your heart be troubled...”

Civilla Martin describes the context out of which the hymn was born: “Early in the spring of 1905, my husband and I were sojourning in Elmira, New York. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle—true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheelchair. Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittles, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle’s response was simple: ‘His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.’ The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn ‘His Eye Is on the Sparrow’ was the outcome of that experience.”

The next day she mailed the poem to Charles Gabriel, a famous composer of gospel songs, who wrote a tune for it.

Hymn of the Week: 

Abide With Me

836 in Glory to God

Text by Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847)
Music by William F Monk (1823-1889)

Abide With Me
Abide With Me: fast falls the eventide.
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide!
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; it’s glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see.
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need thy presence every passing hour;
What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.

Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Henry Francis Lyte was born in Scotland in 1793 and was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, and was a lifelong member of the Church of England. He was a well-known poet, minister, and musician who simultaneously suffered from intense bouts of asthma and tuberculosis. He served as a minister at several churches throughout England and wherever he served, he was deeply loved by his congregation and he worked tirelessly despite his frail health. He spent his final 23 years pastoring a poor parish among fishing people in Devonshire, England.

His health became so bad that he was finally instructed to travel to Italy and warmer climes for his health. On the day of his last sermon on September 4, 1847, it is said that he almost crawled to the pulpit he was so weak to deliver his final homily. On his way to Italy, he stopped in Nice, France where he then passed. He is buried in an English cemetery in Nice on November 20, 1847. It is thought that he wrote the text for this now timeless hymn just before he preached his final sermon.

The text was not widely known in England. It did briefly appear in a book titled; Lyte’s Remains 1850. The first appearance is made in America was through the incredibly famous preacher, Henry Ward Beecher. (brother to Harriet Stowe). The text appeared in Rev. Beecher’s Plymouth Collection in 1855. In this collection, it was stipulated that this text should be read and not sung. This text was later discovered by William Monk, who was the music editor of the Anglican Hymnal; Hymns Ancient and Modern where it had made it into the hymnal in 1861. It is said that Monk composed the tune that we know as

EVENTIDE in less than half an hour. The story goes that he was inspired by a beautiful sunset. How often are we inspired by God’s grandeur?

Enjoy Susan Larson’s beautiful violin solo of this Brent Olstad arrangement.

How Can I Keep from Singing?# 821 in Glory to God Hymnal

Text and Music Robert Lowry 1869

How Can I Keep From Singing?

My life flows on in endless song, above earth’s lamentation
I hear the real, though far off song, that hails a new creation.
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I’m clingin’.
If love is Lord of Heaven and earth, how can I keep from singin’?

What though the tempest round me roars I hear the truth, it liveth
What though the darkness round me close, songs in the night it giveth
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I’m clinging.
If love is Lord of Heaven and earth, how can I keep from singin’?

Through all the tumult and the strife I hear the music ringin’
It sounds and echoes in my soul How Can I Keep from singin’?
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I’m clinging.
If love is Lord of Heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing?

Verse four that is not included in this arrangement but is in our hymnal:

The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart, a fountain ever springin’
All things are mine since I am his! How can I keep from singin’?
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I’m clinging.
If love is Lord of Heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing?

This hymn has many variations in origin stories. Our Glory to God Hymnal states that:

In the New York Observer of August 7, 1868, this text was titled “Always Rejoicing,” and was attributed to a “Pauline T.” This may well be where the Baptist pastor and musician to whom it is usually credited encountered the words that he later published with his tune.

Supposedly, a woman by the name of Doris Plenn knew the song from hearing her Grandmother sing it. Because of that, she believed it came from the early Quaker church which is ironic because the Quakers do not sing in their services. Pete Seeger then took up the song and added a verse that Doris Plenn had sung which goes as follows:

When tyrants tremble sick with fear, and hear their death knell ringin’
When friends rejoice both far and near, How Can I keep from singin’?

Pete Seeger, based on the Doris Plenn story, decided that it was indeed a Quaker hymn, although now we think it’s lyrics have come from many sources, both known and anonymous.

Fast forward to 1990 and the Irish recording artist Enya and her album Shepherd Moons.

She took the lyric; What tho my joys and comforts die, the Lord my Savior liveth. This became, in Enya’s version, What tho’ the tempest round me roars, I hear the truth it liveth.

As you can see, this hymn has many various verses used in a plethora of ways. From Pete Seeger to Enya to the beautiful and haunting arrangement you hear in the attached YouTube link.

This arrangement is by the composer James Primosch who studied composition with the great contemporary composer John Harbison. In his arrangement, you will hear the way the piano part flows as our lives do. There are meter changes and musical lines that fly at times independently of the voice part. Enjoy the myriad of colors singer and composer create.

Special thanks to Karen Bovenizer, soprano for sharing her gifts with us!

Though I May Speak (The Gift of Love)
O WALY WALY

# 693 in Glory to God Hymnal

Text paraphrased from 1 Corinthians 13 by Hal H. Hopson

The Gift of Love
Though I may speak with bravest fire,
And have the gift to all inspire
And have not love, my words are vain,
As sounding brass, and hopeless gain.

Though I may give all I possess,
And striving so my love profess,
But not be given by love within,
The profit soon turns strangely thin.

Come, Spirit, come, our hearts control;
Our spirits long to be made whole.
Let inward love guide every deed;
By this we worship and are freed.

The tune that we sing to this timeless hymn is from a Scottish folk tune from the 1600s known officially as O WALY WALY. The text that the tune is most associated with is: The Water is Wide. Hal Hopson (beloved hymn writer and arranger of many many anthems sung by choirs all over the world) took this beloved tune and set it to the paraphrase that we most associate it with, The Gift of Love. Hal H. Hopson (b. Texas, 1933) is a prolific composer, arranger, clinician, teacher, and promoter of congregational song, with more than 1300 published works, especially of hymn and psalm arrangements, choir anthems, and creative ideas for choral and organ music in worship. Born in Texas, with degrees from Baylor University (BA, 1954), and Southern Baptist Seminary (MSM, 1956), he served churches in Nashville, TN, and most recently at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas. He has served on national boards of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians and the Choristers Guild and taught numerous workshops at various national conferences. In 2009, a collection of sixty-four of his hymn tunes was published in Hymns for Our Time: The Collected Tunes of Hal H. Hopson.

Enjoy Favius Pena’s beautiful clarinet arrangement of this timeless hymn that comes from as distant a place as Scotland in the 1600s to the paraphrase of text from one of today’s most beloved church musicians

When We Are Living 
Somos del Senor    
       
#822 in Glory to God Hymnal

Stanza 1 anonymous;
Translated, Elise S. Eslinger, 1983
Stanzas 2-4, Robert Escamilla, 1983;
Translated, George Lockwood, 1987

When We Are Living
When we are living, it is in Christ Jesus,
And when we’re dying, it is in the Lord.
Both in our living, and in our dying,
We belong to God; we belong to God.

Through all our living, we our fruits must give.
Good works of service are our offering.
When we are giving, or when receiving,
We belong to God; we belong to God.

‘Mid times of sorrow and in times of pain,
When sensing beauty or in love’s embrace,
Whether we suffer, or sing rejoicing,
We belong to God; We belong to God.

Across this wide world, we shall always find
Those who are crying with no peace of mind.
But when we help them, or when we feed them,
We belong to God; we belong to God.
 This gentle Mexican? hymn has become a favorite of denominations all over the world. The message is simple and straightforward but how it came to be is in much dispute. A quick trip through the web will show you many different takes and translations of this hymn.

What we know for certain is that the text is inspired by Romans 14:8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

The meaning is clear. Whether we live or die we belong to God. What an amazing assurance.

Enjoy this arrangement by Joel Raney, beautifully performed by Devyn Sowry, flute; and Philip Everingham, piano.

Sweet By and By

Text by Sanford Fillmore Bennett (1836-1898)
Music Joseph Philbrick Webster (1819-1875)

The Drugstore Hymn

There's a land that is fairer than day, and by faith we can see it afar; for the Father waits over the way to prepare us a dwelling place there.

In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore. In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore.

We shall sing on that beautiful shore the melodious songs of the blest; and our spirits shall sorrow no more, not a sigh for the blessing of rest.

In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore. In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore.

To our bountiful Father above we will offer our tribute of praise, for the glorious gift of his love and the blessings that hallow our days. 

In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore. In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore.
 

In 1868, in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, Joseph Webster walked into his friend’s, Sanford Bennett’s, pharmacy. The fiddler and composer, Webster walked into the store dealing with yet another bout of depression. His friend Sanford asked him, “What is the matter now?” Joseph replied, “It’s no matter, it will be alright by and by.” It’s important to know that the two friends had collaborated on many hymns together. An idea hit Sanford like a bolt of lightning, and he ran to his office and began writing the poem you see above. 30 minutes later, and several patient customers later, the poem was written. He stated: “Here is your prescription, Joe, I hope it works.” A tune came to Joseph and he pulled out his fiddle and began to compose. There were two other customers in the store and together they had a quartet in no time. Within 30 minutes we have one of the most often recorded and well-loved hymns of this period that has now been loved and sung for the next 150 years.

Now, let’s fast forward to 2020. At last week’s Montreat conference, Joy and I learned of this story in Mel Bringle’s (herself a wonderful hymn writer) lectures on hymnody. During these lectures she looked at how hymns dealt with subjects of death and dying, hell, heaven, and how we look at these hymns now. Considering the immense loss the country was reeling from after the Civil War, it became a comfort to think of heaven as the place we will get to. It will be our reward when we die, when we all are reunited with our loved ones.

Now comes the twist to the story that I realized I was familiar with, but never put the two threads together. Enter a man named Joe Hill who worked for the laborers in 1911. He wrote a parody of this week’s hymn called “The Preacher and the Slave.” Here is his refrain which points toward this idea of waiting until heaven to get your reward. His viewpoint seems to be to work to make the Sweet By and By happen here and now. Joe Hill’s version has been taken up by such folk singers as, Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.

You will eat by and by

In that glorious land above the sky

Work and pray, live on hay,

You’ll get pie in the sky when you die.

Softly and Tenderly
# 418 in Glory to God Hymnal

Text and Music by Will L. Thompson (1847-1909)

Softly and Tenderly

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals He’s waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me.

Come home, come home,
Ye who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,
Pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger and heed not His mercies,
Mercies for you and for me?

Come home, come home,
Ye who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

O for the wonderful love He has promised,
Promised for you and for me!
Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon,
Pardon for you and for me.

Come home, come home,
Ye who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home, come home, come home,

Come home!

Sometimes I think the text can stand alone as complete devotional unto itself. Softly and Tenderly is one of these hymns! Enjoy the brief Hammered dulcimer solo.

It is Well With my Soul
# 840 in Glory to God Hymnal

Text by Horatio G Spafford
Music Philip Bliss

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul

It is well
With my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul. 

It is well
With my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, o my soul 

It is well
With my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

Lord, Hasten the day when our faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,
The trumpet shall sound and the Lord shall descend
Even so, it is well with my soul. 

It is well
With my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

This week’s hymn has one of the most heart-breaking stories associated with how it came about. Some may already know the story. Here it is once more.

Special THANK YOU to Austin McElroy, Lori Fuhrer, Judy McNeish, Kathy Craig and Suzy Henry for their hard work putting together this beautiful bell arrangement by Martha Lynn Thompson.

Life can be so unpredictable—joys and sorrows, beautiful blessings and distressing difficulties can come unexpectedly. Our life’s dreams and plans can change in an instant. We all know this to be true. So how can we find peace amid such turbulence?

Horatio Spafford knew something about life’s unexpected challenges. He was a successful attorney and real estate investor who lost a fortune in the great Chicago fire of 1871. Around the same time, his beloved four-year-old son died of scarlet fever.

Thinking a vacation would do his family some good, he sent his wife and four daughters on a ship to England, planning to join them after he finished some pressing business at home. However, while crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the ship was involved in a terrible collision and sunk. More than 200 people lost their lives, including all four of Horatio Spafford’s precious daughters. His wife, Anna, survived the tragedy. Upon arriving in England, she sent a telegram to her husband that began: “Saved alone. What shall I do?”

Horatio immediately set sail for England. At one point during his voyage, the captain of the ship, aware of the tragedy that had struck the Spafford family, summoned Horatio to tell him that they were now passing over the spot where the shipwreck had occurred.

As Horatio thought about his daughters, words of comfort and hope filled his heart and mind. He wrote them down, and they have since become this well-beloved hymn.

Perhaps we cannot always say that everything is well in all aspects of our lives. There will always be storms to face, and sometimes there will be tragedies. But with faith in a loving God and with trust in His divine help, we can confidently say, “It is well, it is well with my soul.”

This Is My Father’s World
#370 from Glory to God

Text by:
Maltbie D. Babcock 

Music by:
Franklin L. Sheppard

This is My Father's World

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world; I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas, his hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, o let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world, the battle is not done:
Jesus who died shall be satisfied, and earth and heaven be one.

When the pastor of a Presbyterian church in Lockport, New York, the author of this text referred to his morning walks as “going out to see my Father’s world.” The view that Rev. Babcock took in on his walks was of Lake Ontario as we walked up on the cliff in upstate New York. The tune created for these words is based on an English melody the composer learned from his mother when he was a boy.

Be sure to tune in to the service this week as Trip and I will play this hymn on guitar and hammered dulcimer.

VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS

Come, Holy Ghost, Our Souls Inspire

Glory to God #278

Having celebrated Pentecost yesterday, I thought this ancient and still relevant hymn would be a wonderful way to look at this time of year and celebrate the birthday of the church.

The hymn Veni Creator Spiritus (as it is known by Latin title) has been a staple for worship in our faith for centuries. Tradition attributes the authorship of its original Latin text to Rabanus Maurus, the abbot of Fulda and archbishop of Mainz in the 9th century AD.

This hymn is sung or spoken at Pentecost and throughout the year at Vespers, and at such solemn occasions as dedications of churches and ordinations of priests. It makes a moving plea for help and guidance from the Holy Spirit.

Enjoy the two links below.  One is of the chant and the second is Maurice Duruflé’s organ toccata on the chant

Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, 
and in our souls take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heavenly aid
to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.

O comforter, to Thee we cry,
O heavenly gift of God Most High,
O fount of life and fire of love,
and sweet anointing from above.

Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known;
Thou, finger of God's hand we own;
Thou, promise of the Father,
Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue.

Kindle our sense from above,
and make our hearts o'erflow with love;
with patience firm and virtue high
the weakness of our flesh supply. 

Far from us drive the foe we dread,
and grant us Thy peace instead;
so shall we not, with Thee for guide,
turn from the path of life aside.

Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow
the Father and the Son to know;
and Thee, through endless times confessed,
of both the eternal Spirit blest.

Now to the Father and the Son,
Who rose from death, be glory given,
with Thou, O Holy Comforter,
henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen.

Eternal Father, Strong to Save

 #8 in Glory to God

Eternal Father, Strong to Save, 
whose arm has bound the restless wave, 
who bade the mighty ocean deep 
it's own appointed limits keep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
for those in peril on the sea.

O savior whose almighty word
the winds and waves submissive heard,
who walked among the foaming deep
and calm amid it's rage did sleep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
for those in peril on the sea.

O Holy Spirit, who did brood 
upon the chaos wild and rude,
and bade its angry tumult cease,
and gave, for fierce confusion peace:
O hear us when we cry to thee
for those in peril on the sea.

O Trinity of love and power,
all travelers guard in danger's hour;
from rock and tempest, fire and foe,
protect them where-so-e'er they go;
thus evermore shall rise to thee
glad praise from air and land and sea.

This "Mariner's" hymn is probably the most widely recognized hymn of it's kind.  An 1857 Baptist hymnal denotes that there were 928 to 943 hymns dedicated to hymns asking for protection of those at sea.

This particular hymn was written in 1869 and is called the "Navy Hymn" because of it's association with the Naval Academy in Annapolis.  It was Franklin Roosevelt's favorite hymn and was sung at his funeral and in 1963 it accompanied the casket of John F. Kennedy as it was carried up the steps of the U.S. Capitol to lie in state.    

The melody has the hymn tune name MELITA which is named after the island where St. Paul was shipwrecked in the book of Acts chapter 27.

Not only is this hymn associated with the Navy and causes us to remember all those who have given their lives for our freedom during this Memorial Day Weekend, as we approach Pentecost and Trinity Sunday, it reminds us of the Holy Spirit and the blessed Trinity.

Further reading:  Then Sings My Soul 150 of the World's Greatest Hymn Stories by Robert Morgan.  Nelson Reference and Electronic Publishing

A Mighty Fortress is Our God (written in 1592)

275 in Glory to God

Translated into English by Fredrick Henry Hedge 1852

There is so much already written about this great hymn. Just reading the translation which we sing, one is comforted during this time of quarantine. Our hymnal has the following note at the bottom of the page: Long before Isaac Watts began to Christianize the Psalms, Martin Luther had already done so when he created the text and tune for this most famous hymn, which is based on Psalm 46.

1. A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing: For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe; His craft and pow’r are great, and, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.

2. Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing, Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing: Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same, And He must win the battle.

3. And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us; The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him.

4. That word above all earthly pow’rs, no thanks to them, abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth; Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever.

Enjoy the recording of Max Reger’s (1873-1916) arrangement from his short Chorale Preludes Opus 67.

His chromatic writing always contains fragments of the tune in every voice and he weaves the tune into an amazing tapestry.

Lord, I Want to be a Christian

Page 729 in Glory to God Hymnal

Lord, I want to be a Christian, in my heart
Lord, I want to be more loving, in my heart
Lord, I want to be more holy, in my heart
Lord, I want to be like Jesus, in my heart

“Lord, I want to be a Christian” is among a canon of African American Spirituals that appears both in mainline denominational hymnals and in African American hymnals in the United States. It was first published in Folk Songs of the American Negro edited by Frederick J. Work (1878?-1942) (Nashville, 1907) with an introduction by John W. Work, Jr. (1872?-1925). This publication was the outgrowth of the performances by the Fisk Jubilee Singers who codified the Spirituals in a musical style that reached a broader audience beyond the African American community. Its appearance in this important collection had the effect of standardizing this folk song to the degree that, with one notable exception, most hymnals reprint the text in the same form as it appeared in this compilation.

One verse that is left out of this song in hymnals across the country, is I don’t want to be like Judas.

Eileen Guenther, in her book: In Their Own Words. Slave Life and the Power of Spirituals wrote the following:

The recurring text 'in my heart' may reasonably be seen as a statement against the hypocrisy of slave owners who said one thing and . . . treat their slaves badly and brutally. That the owners who go to church on Sunday morning and even served communion to their slaves can turn around and beat them that afternoon or the next day is a brutal irony. The slaves’ sung desire to 'be more holy' or 'be like Jesus' reinforces their intention to follow the true teachings of Christianity. (Guenther, 110) 

Enjoy the attached video. My first attempt at putting together several different videos! The bells come across loud and clear, so I advise putting the volume at half or less!

Stay Healthy!
Philip

Further Reading: Eileen Guenther, In Their Own Words: Slave Life and the Power of Spirituals (St. Louis: Morning Star Music Publishers, 2016).

The bells come across loud and clear, so I advise putting the volume at half or less!

Here I am, Lord

Dear Friends,

Several years ago we conducted a hymn poll of what our congregation’s favorite hymns are. Here I am, Lord, written in 1981 by the Jesuit priest, Dan Schutte (b. 1947) topped our list at Number 1. This hymn has been embraced and is in hymnals of all denominations and well-loved by everyone around the world. The refrain captures our imagination immediately with its immediate ability to join in and sing. Unknown to many folks this hymn represents the Second Vatican renewal music resulting from the Second Vatican Council.

The lyrics come from the scripture Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, “Here am I; send me! What is fascinating about the text is that the verses are in first person singular from the point of view of God and the chorus switches to our perspective.

A great story about this hymn is that Dan Schutte was asked on a Wednesday to compose something for a conference that was taking place on that Saturday. He put this hymn together and was polishing it on Friday afternoon when he handed it over to the members of the conference, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Each stanza reflects a paradox. The powerful God, creator of “sea and sky,” “snow and rain” and “wind and flame” is also the God who hears the “people cry,” bears the “people’s pain” and “tend[s] the poor and lame.” This is a hymn of transformation. God transforms the darkness into light in stanza one, melts “hearts of stone” with love in stanza two and nourishes the “poor and lame” with the “finest bread”—a clear Eucharistic reference. Each stanza ends with the question, “Whom shall I send?” Rhetorical questions are very common poetical devices in Christian hymnody, but this is not one of them. The refrain immediately offers the response, “Here I am, Lord.”

Enjoy Linda Habig’s beautiful flute interpretation of Joel Raney’s arrangement of this now classic and much loved hymn.

Stay Healthy!
Philip

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

This week I want to look at the very familiar black gospel hymn, Precious Lord, Take My Hand. The words come from the jazz musician, Thomas A. Dorsey. Many hymns are conceived in the throes of tragedy. “Precious Lord” was written in 1932 following the death of Thomas Dorsey’s young wife, Nettie and their infant son.

Being a young jazz musician, he was called from his home in Chicago to play a gig in St. Louis, leaving his expectant wife at home alone. It was after the gig that he received the telegram of what had happened. He was of course inconsolable. Here are his own words:

“But still I was lost in grief. Everyone was kind to me, especially a friend, Professor Frye, who seemed to know what I needed. On the following Saturday evening he took me up to Malone’s Poro College, a neighborhood music school. It was quiet; the late evening sun crept through the curtained windows. I sat down at the piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys."

As his fingers roamed the keys, he came upon a remembered hymn from the Methodist hymnal named Maitland which was paired with the text, Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone.

Here are the comforting words he paired with this old tune from 1844.

Found in Glory to God Hymnal #834

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I am tired, I'm weak, I am worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand, precious Lord
Lead me home

When my way groweth drear
Precious Lord, linger near
When my light is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand, precious Lord
Lead me on.

The video I am attaching to this week’s article comes from our very own Chancel Choir from several years ago. This is one of the choir’s favorite hymns to sing. This particular arrangement also weaves in the words of Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech. What a beautiful and hopeful paring of texts that when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we can still dare to dream of God’s kingdom here on earth.

Stay Healthy!
Philip

Be Thou My Vision

Dear Friends,
As we continue to self-isolate, I wanted to begin a new series of articles that I hope will continue after the self isolation draws to a close and we make our way back to worshiping together.

This week’s Hymn is one of First Pres.’ all-time favorites as we learned during the Hymn poll several years ago. At this week’s live-stream you heard Kathy Craig play a bell solo of this timeless hymn. I encourage you to connect with the text in a spiritual way, separate from the music. Hymn texts are their own kind of devotional and this hymn is one of our faith’s most meaningful.

Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art Thou my best thought by day or by night Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light

Be Thou my wisdom and Thou my true word I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord Thou my soul’s shelter, and thou my high tower, Raise thou me heaven-ward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor vain empty praise;

Thou mine inheritance, now and always;

Thou and thou only, first in my heart,

High king of Heaven my treasure thou art.

High King of Heaven my victory won May I reach heaven's joys, oh, bright heaven's sun Heart of my own heart whatever befall Still be my vision, oh Ruler of all.

This text comes from the 8th century Old Irish. It is a singular voice of fierce devotion rooted in medieval Celtic Christianity that is still relevant today. The translation of the text that we sing today was not in place until 1905. The hymn itself has a fairly recent connection with many Christians today being only a little over a hundred years old. In 1912, Eleanor Hull put the text into metrical form and created over 12 stanzas. The melody is an Irish folk melody.

Stay Healthy!
Philip