Because my grandmother had a piano in her basement and wanted me and my siblings to learn to play it, she bought an electronic Kimball organ for our house after we moved an hour-and-a-half away to the little resort/farming village of Loudonville, OH.
I loved playing the organ (even though my dad complained about loud, bad sounds I produced from it) but only learned notes from a half-dozen tunes on my own. This was before me and my brother took piano lessons after school from a retired woman who wanted to make a little extra money.
One of the songs I learned on my own was "Frankie and Johnny." Of course, I had no idea what the lyrics were really about. Another I somewhat learned was "Onward Christian Soldiers."
From this old book of my dad's on Christian hymn stories, I learned that the song's author, Sabine Baring-Gould (1834-1924) wrote the hymn "in a very simply fashion, without thought of publication" for a school festival on Whitmonday in Yorkshire, England.
Baring-Gould wrote some 30 years later, "I wanted the children to sing when marching from one village to another, but couldn't think of anything quite suitable, so I sat up at night resolved to write something myself . . . It was written in great haste, and I am afraid that some of the rhymes are faulty. I am certain that nothing has surprised me more than its popularity."
According to the hymn stories book, "One of the interesting verses not found in most hymnals shows the author's confidence for the endurance of the Church:
"Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane But in the Church of Jesus consistent will remain; Gates of hell can never 'gainst that Church prevail; We have Christ's own promise and that cannot fail."
The book goes on, "Another omitted verse indicates something of the author's personal convictions:
"What the saints established that I hold for true What the saints believed that I believe too. Long as earth endureth men that faith will hold--Kingdoms, nations, empires, in destruction rolled."
The book says Baring-Gould was "one of the truly gifted preacher-literary men of the nineteenth century. His publications include 85 books on such varied subjects as religion, travel, folklore, mythology, history, fiction, biography, sermons and popular theology.
"All are notable works. It is said that the British Museum shows more titles by him than any other writer of his time. Yet, amazingly enough, the work for which Sabine Baring-Gould is best noted and remembered today is a simple children's hymn written in 1865."
Baring-Gould, who lived to be 90, is also the author as well as composer of another "children's hymn" with the title, "Now the Day is Over." Here are the lyrics:
- Now the day is over,
Night is drawing nigh,
Shadows of the evening
Steal across the sky. - Jesus, give the weary
Calm and sweet repose;
With Thy tend’rest blessing
May mine eyelids close. - Grant to little children
Visions bright of Thee;
Guard the sailors tossing
On the deep, blue sea. - Comfort those who suffer,
Watching late in pain;
Those who plan some evil
From their sin restrain. - When the morning wakens,
- Then may I arise
Pure, and fresh, and sinless
In Thy holy eyes. - Here are the lyrics to "Onward Christian Soldiers":
- Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus
going on before!
Christ, the royal Master,
leads against the foe;
forward into battle,
see, his banners go.
Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus
going on before!
At the sign of triumph
Satan's host doth flee;
on then, Christian soldiers,
on to victory!
Hell's foundations quiver
at the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices,
loud your anthems raise.
Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus
going on before!
Like a mighty army
moves the Church of God;
Brothers, we are treading
where the saints have trod;
we are not divided,
all one body we,
one in hope and doctrine,
one in charity.
Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus
going on before!
What the saints established
that I hold for true.
what the saints believèd,
that I believe too.
Long as earth endureth,
men the faith will hold,
kingdoms, nations, empires,
in destruction rolled.
Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus
going on before!
Crown and thrones may perish,
kingdoms rise and wane,
but the Church of Jesus
constant will remain;
gates of hell can never
'gainst that Church prevail;
we have Christ's own promise,
and that cannot fail.
Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus
going on before!
Onward, then, ye people,
join our happy throng;
blend with ours your voices
in the triumph song:
glory, laud, and honor,
unto Christ the King;
this through countless ages
men and angels sing.
Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus
going on before!
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