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Hymnals

Published hymn books and other collections

Singing the Journey

Publication Date: 2005 Publisher: Unitarian Universalist Association Publication Place: Boston

Appears in 107 hymnals First Line: Sometimes I feel discouraged Lyrics: Refrain: There is a balm in Gilead To make the wounded whole; There is a balm in Gilead To heal the sin-sick soul. 1 Sometimes I feel discouraged And think my work's in vain, But then the Holy Spirit Revives my soul again. [Refrain] 2 If you cannot preach like Peter, If you cannot pray like Paul, You can tell the love of Jesus and say, "He died for all!" [Refrain] Topics: Jewish and Christian Teachings; Gratitude and Thanks; Love and Compassion; Sorrow, Grief, and Loss; Unity and Diversity Used With Tune: [Sometimes I feel discouraged] Text Sources: African-American spiritual, slavery period

Shall We Gather at the River

Author: Robert Lowry, 1826-1899 Meter: 8.7.8.7 with refrain Appears in 746 hymnals Refrain First Line: Yes, we'll gather at the river Lyrics: 1 Shall we gather at the river, where bright angel feet have trod, with its crystal tide forever flowing by the throne of God? Refrain: Yes, we'll gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river, gather with the saints at the river that flows by the throne of God. 2 On the margin of the river, washing up its silver spray, we will walk and worship ever, all the happy golden day. [Refrain] 3 Ere we reach the shining river, lay we ev'ery burden down. Grace our spirits will deliver, and provide a robe and crown. [Refrain] 4 Soon we'll reach the shining river, soon our pilgrimage will cease, soon our happy hearts will quiver with the melody of peace. [Refrain] Topics: Jewish and Christian Teachings; Celebration and Praise; Courage and Hope; Gratitude and Thanks; Nature; Special Occasions; Unity and Diversity Used With Tune: HANSON PLACE Text Sources: Happy Voices, 1865

Be Thou with Us

Author: Daniel Budd, 1951- Appears in 1 hymnal First Line: Be Thou with us, now and always Topics: Jewish and Christian Teachings; General Service Music; Love and Compassion; Welcome and Ingathering Used With Tune: [Be Thou with us, now and always]

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Tunes

Tune authorities

ANGELS' CAMP

Meter: 8.6.8.6 Appears in 2 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: Daniel Charles Damon, 1955- Tune Key: e minor or modal Incipit: 11235 43221 23455 Used With Text: Love Knocks and Waits for Us to Hear

FIRE OF COMMITMENT

Meter: 8.7.8.7 Appears in 1 hymnal Composer and/or Arranger: Jason Shelton, 1972- Tune Key: E Flat Major Incipit: 12315 65313 43216 Used With Text: The Fire of Commitment

HANSON PLACE

Meter: 8.7.8.7 with refrain Appears in 353 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: Robert Lowry, 1826-1899 Tune Key: C Major Incipit: 33323 45344 45432 Used With Text: Shall We Gather at the River

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Instances

Published text-tune combinations (hymns) from specific hymnals

Morning Has Come

Author: Jason Shelton, 1972- Hymnal: StJ2005 #1000 (2005) Meter: 10.10.10.10 First Line: Morning has come, arise and greet the day! Topics: Transcending Mystery and Wonder; Celebration and Praise; Courage and Hope; General Service Music; Gratitude and Thanks; Welcome and Ingathering Languages: English Tune Title: MOUNTAIN MORNING

Breaths

Author: Birago Diop, 1906-1989 Hymnal: StJ2005 #1001 (2005) First Line: Those who have died have never left Refrain First Line: Listen more often to things than to beings Lyrics: Refrain: Listen more often to things than to beings, listen more often to things than to beings, tis’ the Ancestors’ breath when the fire’s voice is heard, tis’ the ancestor’s breath in the voice of the waters. Zah Whsshhh Aahh Whsshh 1 Those who have died have never, never left The dead are not under the earth They are in the rustling trees They are in the groaning woods They are in the crying grass, They are in the moaning rocks The dead are not under the earth [Refrain] 2 Those who have did have never, never left. The dead have a pact with the living. They are in the woman’s breast, They are in the wailing child They are with us in our homes. They are with us in this crowd The dead have a pact with the living. [Refrain] Topics: Transcending Mystery and Wonder; Family; Love and Compassion; Sorrow, Grief, and Loss; Special Occasions Languages: English Tune Title: [Those who have died have never left]

Comfort Me

Author: Mimi Bornstein-Doble, 1964- Hymnal: StJ2005 #1002 (2005) First Line: Comfort me, comfort me Topics: Transcending Mystery and Wonder; Courage and Hope; Love and Compassion; Sorrow, Grief, and Loss Languages: English Tune Title: [Comfort me, comfort me]

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People

Authors, composers, editors, etc.

Robert Lowry

1826 - 1899 Person Name: Robert Lowry, 1826-1899 Hymnal Number: 1046 Author of "Shall We Gather at the River" in Singing the Journey Robert Lowry was born in Philadelphia, March 12, 1826. His fondness for music was exhibited in his earliest years. As a child he amused himself with the various musical instruments that came into his hands. At the age of seventeen he joined the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia, and soon became an active worker in the Sunday-school as teacher and chorister. At the age of twenty-two he gave himself to the work of the ministry, and entered upon a course of study at the University of Lewisburg, Pa. At the age of twenty-eight he was graduated with the highest honors of his class. In the same year of his graduation, he entered upon the work of the ministry. He served as pastor at West Chester, Pa., 1851-1858; in New York City, 1859-1861; in Brooklyn, 1861-1869; in Lewisburg, Pa., 1869-1875. While pastor at Lewisburg, he was also professor of belles lettres in the University, and received the honorary degree of D. D. in 1875. He then went to Plainfield, N. J., where he became pastor of Park Avenue Church. In each of these fields his work was crowned with marked success. Dr. Lowry was a man of rare administrative ability, a most excellent preacher, a thorough Bible student, and whether in the pulpit or upon the platform, always a brilliant and interesting speaker. He was of a genial and pleasing disposition, and a high sense of humor was one of his most striking characteristics. Very few men had greater ability in painting pictures from the imagination. He could thrill an audience with his vivid descriptions, inspiring others with the same thoughts that inspired him. His melodies are sung in every civilized land, and many of his hymns have been translated into foreign tongues. While preaching the Gospel, in which he found great joy, was his life-work, music and hymnology were favorite studies, but were always a side issue, a recreation. In the year 1880, he took a rest of four years, visiting Europe. In 1885 he felt that he needed more rest, and resigned his pastorate at Plainfield, and visited in the South and West, also spending some time in Mexico. He returned, much improved in health, and again took up his work in Plainfield. On the death of Wm. B. Bradbury, Messrs. Biglow & Main, successors to Mr. Bradbury in the publishing business, selected Dr. Lowry for editor of their Sunday-school book, Bright Jewels, which was a great success. Subsequently Dr. W. Doane was associated with him in the issue of the Sunday-school song book, Pure Gold, the sales of which exceeded a million copies. Then came Royal Diadem, Welcome Tidings, Brightest and Best, Glad Refrain, Good as Gold, Joyful Lays, Fountain of Song, Bright Array, Temple Anthems, and numerous other volumes. The good quality of their books did much to stimulate the cause of sacred song in this country. When he saw that the obligations of musical editorship were laid upon him, he began the study of music in earnest, and sought the best musical text-books and works on the highest forms of musical composition. He possessed one of the finest musical libraries in the country. It abounded in works on the philosophy and science of musical sounds. He also had some musical works in his possession that were over one hundred and fifty years old. One of his labors of love some years ago was an attempt to reduce music to a mathematical basis. On the established fact that Middle C has two hundred and fifty-six vibrations per second, he prepared a scale and went to work on the rule of three. After infinite calculation and repeated experiments, he carried it far enough to discover that it would not work. A reporter once asked him what was his method of composition — "Do you write the words to fit the music, or the music to fit the words?" His reply was, "I have no method. Sometimes the music comes and the words follow, fitted insensibly to the melody. I watch my moods, and when anything good strikes me, whether words or music, and no matter where I am, at home or on the street, I jot it down. Often the margin of a newspaper or the back of an envelope serves as a notebook. My brain is a sort of spinning machine, I think, for there is music running through it all the time. I do not pick out my music on the keys of an instrument. The tunes of nearly all the hymns I have written have been completed on paper before I tried them on the organ. Frequently the words of the hymn and the music have been written at the same time." The Doctor frequently said that he regarded "Weeping Will Not Save Me" as the best and most evangelistic hymn he ever wrote. The following are some of his most popular and sweetest gospel melodies: "Shall We Gather at the River?," "One More Day's Work for Jesus," "Where is My Wandering Boy To-night?," "I Need Thee Every Hour," "The Mistakes of My Life," "How Can I Keep from Singing?," "All the Way My Saviour Leads Me," "Saviour, Thy Dying Love," "We're Marching to Zion," etc. "Shall We Gather at the River?" is perhaps, without question, the most widely popular of all his songs. Of this Mr. Lowry said: "It is brass band music, has a march movement, and for that reason has become popular, though for myself I do not think much of it." Yet he tells us how, on several occasions, he had been deeply moved by the singing of that hymn, "Going from Harrisburg to Lewisburg once I got into a car filled with half-drunken lumbermen. Suddenly one of them struck up, "Shall We Gather at the River?" and they sang it over and over again, repeating the chorus in a wild, boisterous way. I did not think so much of the music then as I listened to those singers, but I did think that perhaps the spirit of the hymn, the words so flippantly uttered, might somehow survive and be carried forward into the lives of those careless men, and ultimately lift them upward to the realization of the hope expressed in my hymn." "A different appreciation of it was evinced during the Robert Raikes' Centennial. I was in London, and had gone to meeting in the Old Bailey to see some of the most famous Sunday-school workers in the world. They were present from Europe, Asia, and America. I sat in a rear seat alone. After there had been a number of addresses delivered in various languages, I was preparing to leave, when the chairman of the meeting announced that the author of "Shall We Gather at the River?" was present, and I was requested by name to come forward. Men applauded and women waved their handkerchiefs as I went to the platform. It was a tribute to the hymn; but I felt, when it was over, that, after all, I had perhaps done some little good in the world, and I felt more than ever content to die when God called." On Children's Day in Brooklyn, in 1865, this song was sung by over forty thousand voices. While Dr. Lowry said, "I would rather preach a gospel sermon to an appreciative, receptive congregation than write a hymn," yet in spite of his preferences, his hymns have gone on and on, translated into many languages, preaching and comforting thousands upon thousands of souls, furnishing them expression for their deepest feelings of praise and gratitude to God for His goodness to the children of men. What he had thought in his inmost soul has become a part of the emotions of the whole Christian world. We are all his debtors. Rev. Robert Lowry, D. D., died at his residence in Plainfield, K J., November 25, 1899. Dead, yet he lives and his sermons in gospel song are still heard and are doing good. Dr. Lowry was a great and good man, and his life, well spent, is highly worthy of a place among the world's greatest gospel song and hymn writers. -- Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers ------- Lowry, Robert, D.D., son of Crozier Lowry, was born at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 12, 1826, and educated at Lewisburg University. Having received ordination as a Baptist Minister, his first charge was at West Chester, Pennsylvania. From thence he passed to New York City, and then to Brooklyn, N. Y. In 1876 he was appointed Professor of Rhetoric in his University. On resigning his Professorship he undertook the charge of the 2nd Baptist Church, New Jersey. Dr. Lowry has been associated with some of the most popular Sunday School hymn-books published in the States, including Happy Voices, 1865; Chapel Melodies, 1868; Bright Jewels, 1869; Pure Gold, 1871; Royal Diadem, 1873; Tidal Wave, 1874; Fountain of Song1877; Welcome Tidings, 1877, &c. Of Dr. Lowry's hymns those which have attained the widest circulation are:— 1. Jerusalem, for ever bright. Heaven. Appeared in the American Tract Society's Happy Voices, 1865, with music by the author. 2. Low in the grave He lay. Resurrection of Christ. Written in 1874 and published in Brightest and Best, 1875. 3. Marching on, marching on. Sunday School Battle Song. Appeared, with music by the author, in Happy Voices, 1865. 4. My home is in heaven, my rest is not here. In Happy Voices, 1865, with music by the author. 5. My life flows on in endless song. Joy in God. In Bright Jewels, 1869; the Royal Diadem, 1873, and others in America and Great Britain, with music by the author. 6. One more day's work for Jesus. Work for Christ. Published, with music by the author, in Bright Jewels, 1869. 7. Shall we gather at the river? Mutual recognition in the Hereafter. The origin of this hymn is thus set forth in E. W. Long's Illustrated History of Hymns and their Authors, Philadelphia, 1876, p. 64:— ”On a very hot summer day, in 1864, a pastor was seated in his parlour in Brooklyn, N. Y. It was a time when an epidemic was sweeping through the city, and draping many persons and dwellings in mourning. All around friends and acquaintances were passing away to the spirit land in large numbers. The question began to arise in the heart, with unusual emphasis, ‘Shall we meet again? We are parting at the river of death, shall we meet at the river of life?' ‘Seating myself at the organ,’ says he, ‘simply to give vent to the pent up emotions of the heart, the words and music of the hymn began to flow out, as if by inspiration:— ‘Shall we gather at the river, Where bright angel feet have trod?’" In 1865 the hymn and music were given in Happy Voices, No. 220, in 5 stanzas of 4 lines and a chorus. The hymn has since passed into a great number of hymnals in Great Britain and America. 8. Take the wings of the morning; speed quickly thy flight. Exhortation to Repentance. Written for, and published with music by the author in, the Royal Diadem, 1873. 9. Weeping will not save me. Salvation through Faith. Published in the Chapel Melodies, 1868. 10. What can wash away my stain? Precious Blood of Jesus. Given in the Welcome Tidings, 1877, with music by the author. 11. Where is my wandering boy tonight! The absent Child. In the Fountain of Song, 1877, together with music by the author. Most of these hymns are given in Mr. I. D. Sankey's Sacred Songs & Solos, Pts. i., ii. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Nolan Williams

Person Name: Nolan Williams, Jr. Hymnal Number: 1045 Arranger of "[Sometimes I feel discouraged]" in Singing the Journey

Rowland Hugh Prichard

1811 - 1887 Person Name: Roland Hugh Prichard, 1811-1887 Hymnal Number: 1064 Composer of "HYFRYDOL" in Singing the Journey Rowland H. Prichard (sometimes spelled Pritchard) (b. Graienyn, near Bala, Merionetshire, Wales, 1811; d. Holywell, Flintshire, Wales, 1887) was a textile worker and an amateur musician. He had a good singing voice and was appointed precentor in Graienyn. Many of his tunes were published in Welsh periodicals. In 1880 Prichard became a loom tender's assistant at the Welsh Flannel Manufacturing Company in Holywell. Bert Polman

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