"Aren’t we something less than a friend if we have the gospel of Jesus Christ and are unwilling to share it by word and example with a family, a member, neighbor, or the stranger? Aren’t we something less than a friend if we have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and are unwilling to share it?" - Marvin J. Ashton
I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know who I am. I know God's plan. I'll follow him in faith. I believe in the Savior, Jesus Christ. I'll honor his name. I'll do what is right; I'll follow his light. His truth I will proclaim.
This is such a fun hymn to sing! Lots of movement. Fun to play on the piano, but much harder on the organ when you have to make it legato. Then you have the echoing tenor and bass on the third line--always love those. I have sung this song so many times, and knew we were singing about our desire for the Lord to come. Somehow I never put it together that it was singing about the Second Coming and Millennium. Last song of that in its section. Not sure why I never quite connected. But it is still wonderful!
Favorite lines:
*With healing in thy wings
*With songs of joy, a happier strain
*The wide expanse of heaven fill
*And ev'ry tongue sounds praise to thee
From the history book
Our wonderful Parley P. Pratt had this hymn published in 1840. They're not sure the story behind his writing it, but Brother George Pyper feels it was probably written amidst the trial in Missouri when the Saints would most especially be looking forward to the Savior coming again and taking way the pain, leaving behind joy and rejoicing. Even if not written during those trials, the memory of them likely remained freshly. The 1950 hymnal had the last two verses printed below the hymn and rarely sung, so they put them up with the other hymns to be sung more. Ironic that even then they knew about congregations' bad habit of not singing all verses, particularly ones printed below the music. Yet the current hymnal still has hymns printed that way and the verses are sadly neglected.
This is one of the hymns that has reached into various aspects of my life. It is often sung in our congregations and as the Choir & Congregation hymn in General Conferences. So, by 6th grade, when band expectations were crushed and I looked forward to days of choirs in Junior High, I was fairly familiar with this hymn. It became more profound to me when my sister who made it into the prestigious PHS a cappella choir was singing the school alma mater--and it was to this hymn's tune. But my brothers told me it was the Junior High alma mater's tune as well. I made it into 7th grade choir and it was the first song we learned. So then when it would come up in church, Kiersten would quietly sing the words to the high school alma mater and I would quietly sing the junior high's. It was in no disrespect to the hymn. It was because we had taken to that fabulous tune and loved that it intersected in our spiritual and secular lives.
By 10th grade, I had made it into the prestigious a cappella choir and learned those words. I suppose something about memorizing the Jr High alma mater, and then the High School alma mater, within a year or so I had also memorized the hymn as well. What was another set of words? So this was one of the first hymns that I was consciously aware that I knew by memory. (Also one of the first I could play out of the regular hymnal.) Sometime by the end of high school or early college days, I paid attention to those words I had memorized--and they have come very close to my heart. A lover of temples and temple ordinances, verse 3 especially resonated. But a song about singing? And rejoicing? And our Savior coming again when we can "live in love and peace?" All sung to a tune that is all about praising, joy, and exultation--which tune had also come to have a meaning of honor, begun by my alma mater singing. I would have to say that this is one of my favorites. Even though it became one of the "oversung" in college, I chose instead of being annoyed to glory in the words I knew by heart and letting their meaning sink even more into my singing praises.
From the history book
I love this line: "What response other than song could so well reflect the emotions and gratitude of the followers of Jesus Christ?" Agreed!! The tune is a Spanish folk melody which many Christian denominations used in their hymnals. (Thus now surprising that m 2 alma maters were set to this tune; even more so when one knows that my Jr High choir director who wrote that alma mater was LDS for some years.) The tune was already well known when the text was written by Brother Wallis, first printed in 1884.
Lyrics
1. Come, ye children of the Lord,
Let us sing with one accord.
Let us raise a joyful strain
To our Lord who soon will reign
On this earth when it shall be
Cleansed from all iniquity,
When all men from sin will cease,
And will live in love and peace.
2. Oh, how joyful it will be
When our Savior we shall see!
When in splendor he'll descend,
Then all wickedness will end.
Oh, what songs we then will sing
To our Savior, Lord, and King!
Oh, what love will then bear sway
When our fears shall flee away!
3. All arrayed in spotless white,
We will dwell 'mid truth and light.
We will sing the songs of praise;
We will shout in joyous lays.
Earth shall then be cleansed from sin.
Ev'ry living thing therein
Shall in love and beauty dwell;
Then with joy each heart will swell.Text: James H. Wallis, 1861-1940
Music: Spanish melody; arr. by Benjamin Carr, 1768-1831
And for those curious about my alma mater words.
PHS:
(And yes, the student body ALWAYS joined in on that last part like that. Even when we would "sing" it at church, our whole family liked to sing that line. And it is true. I will forever love PHS even if I only had one year. It was one of the best years of my life.)
JJHS:
Jackson Junior may you grow
For as we reap we needs must sow.
Jackson Junior proud and true
Your students love to strive for you.
So here we pledge our loyalty
Forever singing young and free
Jackson will make history
What e'er you ask
We give to thee!
This was another that came to my notice as current ward choir director. One of my more musically inclined brothers--familiar with more of the lesser known hymns than others--mentioned this as a possibility to be sung. So we did. A simple arrangement of a hymn not well know. The tune is very simple, with some movement for the tenors and basses. And the text is about the Millennium (since we are still in that section). But I like that the first verse is our commitment to the Lord--which is required for the other 3 verses to be possible for us.
Favorite line: When he comes down from heav'n to earth...we hope with him to stand
From the history book
Written by our Brother Phelps, this was also included in Emma's first hymnal in 1835. He was influenced by the talented Isaac Watts with his first line, as well as the fourth verse. After 1835, the first 2 lines of verse 2 were revised because they were awkward to sing, as was the first line of verse 3. The tune in the 1950 hymnal was too difficult, even for many choirs. "Only very experienced pianists and organists could play it." So our lovely organist John Longhurst (I kind of miss hearing him play) was invited to write the one that we don't sing today. ;-) The brand of one of the small pipe organs that the Tabernacle organists practice on is called the Austin, and Brother Longhurst composed this tune one day while at that organ.
Lyrics
1. We're not ashamed to own our Lord
And worship him on earth.
We love to learn his holy word
And know what souls are worth.
2. When Jesus comes in burning flame
To recompense the just,
The world will know the only name
In which the Saints can trust.
3. When he comes down from heav'n to earth
With all his holy band,
Before creation's second birth,
We hope with him to stand.
4. He then will give us a new name,
With robes of righteousness,
And, in the New Jerusalem,
Eternal happiness.
Text: William W. Phelps, 1792-1872, alt. Included in the first LDS hymnbook, 1835.
Wow. Another organ one. That is 3 in a row. We must have really liked this section! And like the other 2 I wasn't as familiar before and still not remembering well after. The soprano part moves a lot in this song. Possibly too much to make this easy for congregations. If the melody moves all over and includes syncopation, it is a little more difficult. Of course, if we sang it often, we would just be familiar with the tune. Seems to be a problem with too many of our hymns. The text is poetic description of the Millennium--particularly in nature. It is beautiful imagery. Though the phrase "sabbatic era" is not an often used one!
From the history book
Ha ha--she refers to the unusual phrase, too! It is likening the Millennium to the earth's Sabbath Day--6 days of labor and then a day of rest. In 1950, this hymn was paired with the tune for Hymn 150 in our current hymnal. Brother Cornwall, who wrote about the hymn in the 1950 hymnal wrote the current tune for this hymn when he was 90. The 1950 hymnal also had 4 other verses. More poetry, more imagery. Very nice. But 8 verses would never get sung. I like how the book points out that this is how the Millennium will appear to the righteous--peaceful, beautiful, full of light that dispels darkness.
Lyrics
1. Softly beams the sacred dawning
Of the great millennial morn,
And to Saints gives welcome warning
That the day is hast'ning on,
That the day is hast'ning on.
2. Splendid, rising o'er the mountains,
Glowing with celestial cheer,
Streaming from eternal fountains,
Rays of living light appear,
Rays of living light appear.
3. Swiftly flee the clouds of darkness;
Speedily the mists retire;
Nature's universal blackness
Is consumed by heav'nly fire,
Is consumed by heav'nly fire.
4. Yea, the fair sabbatic era,
When the world will be at rest,
Rapidly is drawing nearer;
Then all Israel will be blest,
Then all Israel will be blest.
Text: John Jaques, 1827-1900
Music: J. Spencer Cornwall, 1888-1983. (c) J. Spencer Cornwall, 1983. This hymn may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use.
This section of songs is definitely one of my personal lesser-sung hymns. Apparently I have played this in my early organ lesson days. Looking over the tune, I know I have heard MoTab sing this a few times as well. SUCH a fun tune. I may have even sung it a couple of times growing up. But for such a fun hymn, we don't sing this nearly enough. (And that moving bass part in the last line! What poor bass would pass up that chance?!) I am not very familiar with the words. Should definitely memorize this. Too fun not to. Looking over the lyrics, it has great, poetic descriptions of the Lord coming and the world and the people of the world's reactions to it. They are very majestic descriptions as well as full of excitement, and that matches the tune perfectly.
From the history book
The author of the hymn based it on the first 6 verses of Psalm 50. The 1950 hymnal had this as a choir hymn. She said it is not one of our easiest hymns. Really?! There may be a lot of moving parts, but it doesn't seem as hard as some others I have seen. But for the current hymnal they did put it in a lower register and added in soprano and alto parts that weren't in a part of it. The 1950 hymnal had a another verse: "Gather first my saints around me, Those who to my covenants stood--Those who humbly sought and found me Through the dying Savior's blood. Blest Redeemer, Dearest Sacrifice to God." I like those! And, this hymn was included in Emma's 1841 hymnal, and in the 1889 Psalmody this was paired with the present tune, by our fabulous Evan Stephens.
I have no memory of this hymn before I learned to play it in my organ class. And even that memory is rather vague. I have a feeling it is one of the earlier ones I played. Looking over the tune, my brain can mostly pick it out--so that's about as much as I remember. The title makes one think this song is about temples and should be in the temple section (~280s). Verse 1 is about temples, specifically the Salt Lake City one as prophesied about in Isaiah--which is quoted in the first verse. But the rest of the verses help you see that this is about the Millennium, and thus in its "proper section." The last verse is actually a couple of lines repeated twice. But as they are about the reasons we have to rejoice in the Millennium and walking with God, it definitely works.
The text was written before the Gospel was restored and then adapted, and the tune is one of the few copyrighted (why the link takes you only to the lyrics), so I am intrigued to read the history. You will, unfortunately, have to get a hold of an actual printed 1985 LDS hymnal to plunk out the tune for yourself.
From the history book
The 1950 hymnal attributed this book to John Logan, but many feel it was Michael Bruce who died young and was not able to claim his authorship of several hymns that Logan had published. Bruce was a young Protestant Scotsman who would be familiar with the same Isaiah scriptures in the 1700s as LDS Saints would be. The text was first published in 1781 and came into an LDS hymnal in 1841 in Emma's second hymnal. It had been matched with Joseph Daynes' tune since 1889. But apparently it was a bit difficult. The 1985 hymnbook committee found a tune from the Reorganized LDS (or now Community of Christ)) hymnal by Leland Sateren which matched well with these lyrics. And that would explain why the tune is under copyright.
Update: How do you like that?! This was the closing hymn in Relief Society today!
I know nothing about this hymn. I don't think I even picked it for any congregation to sing. 2/2 is possibly my least favorite time signature and I struggle trying to sight-read this song. No tune comes to mind and my rhythm is totally off. Will have to listen to the recording on LDS.org a few times to get that. But looking over the text--I like that. The joy of having a prophet on earth again. The peace and friendship that will come with the Millennium.
From the history book
I like how it points out that this hymn includes all inhabitants of the earth, not just the Saints. It talks of how the tune reflects the message in a joyous but noble manner. That it is straightforward in style (and yes, those chords are straight forward if I could just get the timing right!). The tune name honors a city near to me because it is where the composer went to high school and later met his wife while teaching at the high school. The text first appeared in 1863, but the tune did not get published until 1948.
I am determined to get to know this little hymn more in spite of that 2/2 time.
Lyrics
1. Let earth's inhabitants rejoice
And gladly hail the glorious hour;
Again is heard a prophet's voice,
And all may feel the gospel's pow'r.
2. The blissful time will soon arrive,
The day by holy men foretold,
When man no more with man will strive,
And all in each a friend behold.
3. Oppression will no more be found,
Nor tyrant hold relentless sway,
But love to God and man abound
Thruout the long millennial day.
Text: William Clegg, 1823-1903
Music: Leroy J. Robertson, 1896-1971. (c) 1948 IRI
My first memory of this hymn being set into my head was in 10th grade when I was singing in the ward choir. I was in the soprano section with my good friend from high school and Young Women's (not a common occurrence in my east coast home) and her mother. I think I may have sung this once or twice growing up. The tune when I sang it in choir was somewhat familiar. But I didn't know the words. So, there we were sight-singing. And all 3 of us gustily singing in the chorus were suddenly holding out "Hail to thine ear........!" What? Ear!? Before we all at the same moment realized it was the first syllable of the word "early." Oh! We should have been singing "er!" And every time I have sung this hymn I think of "Hail to thine ear."
Aside from that fun memory, I enjoy this hymn. A bright one to sing about the Restoration and getting to live the Gospel on earth until the beautiful day of the Millennium.
Favorite lines:
*"the world is awaking"
*All of Verse 2, especially "In many a temple the Saints will assemble And labor as saviors of dear ones away"
*Still let us be doing
*Then pure and supernal, our friendship eternal, With Jesus
Some great text with wonderful messages and lessons!
From the history book
She quotes J. Spencer Cornwall who "often did not care for hymns in the less dignified gospel-song tradition...calling [this hymn] 'distinct and interesting due to its chorus which is rhythmically different from the verse part, but beautifully co-ordinated with the tune and form of the verse.'" This is SO true! First published in 1877, by a man who became a member only 4 years earlier.
Definitely a hymn I did not know until recently. About 2 years ago, I asked my ward choir for songs they would like to try to sing. One of my loyal tenors mentioned this one, as it is his favorite hymn. So we did a simple arrangement of it a few months later. In that time or shortly after, I suggested it be one of the ones I try on the organ (before she was insisting that everything I try to do with the pedal). Thus I got to know the tune very well, and the lyrics a bit. The tune moves and is full of accidentals. Helps to stand out in one's mind. The lyrics are a bit more "old-fashioned." Written in the 1800s, they have that Victorian-esque flair. Which means it takes my mind a bit more effort to break it down and understand its meaning. But overall I get it as a rejoicing hymn--declaring to all (particularly the sons of Michael, whom I assume that means Priesthood holders???) that the Savior is coming and to be prepared for the gloriousness that will accompany and the humility and rejoicing we will/should be filled with because of this great, longed-for event.
Favorite lines:
*Raise aloft your voices millions In a torrent pow'r of song.
*Hail our head with music soft! Raise sweet melodies aloft!
From the history book
I knew that Michael referred to Adam. The book says that "sons of Michael" refer to all human beings, since we are all his descendants. Verse 3's Mother refers to Eve, showing that she is at Adam or Michael's side in this. The hymn is also referring to the grand council that Joseph Smith prophesied about, referencing Daniel 7. So what I majorly missed in the text is that the hymn is very much about Michael and Eve. We are singing about the grand council that Michael will preside at. The 1985 hymnal wanted to distinguish that, so they went with the (now mostly used) format of capitalizing the words when referring to Deity and leaving them lowercase when referring to Michael (Father vs father).
The hymn was first published in 1861 and part of the 1950 hymnal. Its original tune was apparently so hard that only choirs could attempt it. (Their choirs must have been magnificently skilled in music back then!) So Brother Wolford wrote a more singable tune, which actually helped him come to love the text which he didn't beforehand. He said that the hymn sounds wonderful in unison, but as an organist "wrote a setting that has a melodic bass line--one that feels good to the feet!" And those bass rarely ever get such fun parts to sing. So by all means, let them sing it!
Not sure how I became familiar with this hymn. I know the tune fairly well. First two lines are exactly the same. The third line is a women's duet (and you know I love those show-off times for parts!). I don't know the lyrics as well. And leading this is a beast! Something about 2/2 time throws me off so much. Looking over the text, I like the looking forward to the "glorious day of promise"--I like to see that as the time when Israel is gathered (mentioned in 1st verse) and what we know to be the Millennium. It can also be looked at when we can go on to a peaceful rest with our loved ones in the next life. But I also like the references to the Old Testament. Not my favorite book of scripture, but many stories and lessons that I love from that work. Especially thinking on those people who so long ago looked forward to their coming Messiah, as we do today in awaiting His Second Coming. So I can connect with the sentiments shared in the hymn.
From the history book
Alexander Neibaur was reported to be the first Jewish convert to the LDS religion. He joined the Church in Preston, England. This hymn was sent by Bro. Neibaur to the Millennial Star for publication in 1840. There was confusion believing that Bro Neibaur wrote the hymn. But the hymn was a slightly altered version from one that appears in a Psalmody from 1831 (not an LDS publication). In that Psalmody, it was credited to "Pratt's Collection." So Brother Neibaur was not the author, but was the original contributor to the LDS hymn publications.
I think the first time I truly came to pay attention to this song was when Mom, my Seminary teacher for the Doctrine & Covenants/Church History year, asked me to play this for our opening hymn. 6/8? 3 flats? Unfamiliar rhythm? Yes, it stood out in memory quite well. Aside from its name doing so, and the rhyming being just slightly off because of word pronunciation. A couple of years later we college students sang this on the bus as we pulled out of Nauvoo on another Travel Study trip--this time one of our stops being Adam-ondi-Ahman itself. And then almost a decade later, my baby brother and his friends sang this as an a cappella quartet at their Seminary graduation. Over that 12 year span, I noticed this song more often. I have the tune memorized as well as various phrases from the first verse. Written by our Brother Phelps, it refers to the place where Adam dwelled, and talks of Enoch's Zion (as Brother Phelps did in Hymn #48), and looks forward to the glorious second coming when life on earth can be as it was in Adam-ondi-Ahman.
From the history book
The previous hymn's history had mentioned that the word Adam-ondi-Ahman was carried over from the pure Adamic language into English, one that we haven't been given a revealed, literal translation for--all this as defined by Bruce R. McConkie. Elder McConkie actually used all 4 verses of this hymn in his definition of it in Mormon Doctrine. He also went on to talk about the great spiritual gathering that occurred there 5,000 years ago where remnants of the altar that Adam offered sacrifice remained through the years; I have seen those remnants myself.
And he mentioned how in 1838 Joseph Smith and other brethren visited that place, called Spring Hill, and that the Prophet prophesied of the council that would take place again in preparation for Christ to reign personally on the earth (verse 4 of the hymn referencing that even though this hymn was written before the Prophet taught that on Spring Hill). The hymn inplies that the City of Enoch was in this spot as well. I don't know if there is any scriptural or revelatory evidence on that, but even if it wasn't in the same spot, the same thing of the people walking with God happened in the City of Enoch as it did when Adam dwelt there and walked with God.
This hymn was sung at the Kirtland Temple dedication in 1836, meaning 3 of Brother Phelps' hymns were sung there. And the book mentions the 3 slight changes to text compared to the original printing in the 1835 hymnal. One of them makes me laugh, because it took away one of Brother Phelps' attempts to make the rhyming work better. One was changing old to all. And the other was calling the hymn by its current title, rather than its first line as it had been in previous hymnals.
Check out the video! When MoTab used to sit in Mixed Formation. And singing under the baton of the great Jerold Ottley. Straight from the hymnal, too. Which shows that this sung has likely not been sung much in General Conference in recent years as it is most certainly not sung enough in regular congregations.
This is another hymn I have played for many weeks in my organ lessons. Thankfully she did not ask me to do the pedal in the bass. Every part gets to wonderfully move all over in this hymn, and the bass on the pedal would have had me at this hymn for years. But removing the pedal, this is a challenging hymn that is rather fun once the playing of it is succeeded. Quite the fun to sing, too. I am not as familiar with the lyrics, and didn't pay as much attention beyond the first verse when I was learning to play this. But I do like the last half of the first verse, explaining what and who and how Zion is. Written by our talented Brother Phelps, the song seems to be written with an eye to the future, while also looking back on the one city that was righteous enough to be exalted--using them as our example of how we can try to create Zion in our lives.
Favorite lines:
*Love and virtue, faith and wisdom, Grace and gifts were all combined
*One continual feast of blessings
*Then their faith and words were perfect; Lo, they followed their great Head
*Then we'll surely be united
*Then we'll mingle with the angels, And the Lord will bless his own
From the history book
Phelps did focus on Zion, the city of Enoch in his hymn, as opposed to John Newton's Zion (a people and possibly future state of being) in Hymn #46. And Phelps quotes Latter-day scripture for the hymn as well. The 1950 hymnal used a different tune for this and was marked for choir use. So the current hymnal chose a tune that congregations would be able to learn and sing more easily. (Do they honestly think the moving parts songs are easier to sing? Because that has not been my experience in my 2 times as a ward choir director. :-) )
Lyrics
1. Glorious things are sung of Zion,
Enoch's city seen of old,
Where the righteous, being perfect,
Walked with God in streets of gold.
Love and virtue, faith and wisdom,
Grace and gifts were all combined.
As himself each loved his neighbor;
All were one in heart and mind.
2. There they shunn'd the pow'r of Satan
And observed celestial laws;
For in Adam-ondi-Ahman
Zion rose where Eden was.
When beyond the pow'r of evil,
So that none could covet wealth,
One continual feast of blessings
Crown'd their days with peace and health.
3. Then the tow'rs of Zion glittered
Like the sun in yonder skies,
And the wicked stood and trembled,
Filled with wonder and surprise.
Then their faith and works were perfect;
Lo, they followed their great Head!
So the city went to heaven,
And the world said, "Zion's fled!"
4. When the Lord returns with Zion,
And we hear the watchman cry,
Then we'll surely be united,
And we'll all see eye to eye.
Then we'll mingle with the angels,
And the Lord will bless his own.
Then the earth will be as Eden,
And we'll know as we are known.
Text: William W. Phelps, 1792-1872; Dutch melody, ca. 1710.
This is a blog where I share inspirational/explanatory quotes, pieces of my testimony, and various things/events/experiences that have strengthened and will continue to increase that testimony. I am not officially called of my church to keep this blog. I share these things because they are the core of my very existence. And every part of me wants to proclaim it to all the world. So, I'll start here. I hope all who read my "spiritual ramblings" may know with a surety that I know and believe these things with all of my heart and with complete assurance.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I would love to talk more with readers, though I do reserve the right to not discuss or respond to anything inappropriate or that I am not comfortable with.
