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Author: Rev. Johnson Oatman, Jr. Appears in 33 hymnals First Line: Would you be a sunbeam fill'd with heaven's light Refrain First Line: Be a blessing on life's weary mile Used With Tune: [Would you be a sunbeam]

Tunes

Tune authorities

[Would you be a sunbeam filled with Heaven’s light]

Appears in 22 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: Anthony Johnson Showalter Tune Key: B Flat Major Incipit: 55345 51217 7 Used With Text: Be A Blessing

Instances

Published text-tune combinations (hymns) from specific hymnals

Be A Blessing

Author: Johnson Oatman Jr. Hymnal: The Cyber Hymnal #11716 First Line: Would you be a sunbeam filled with Heaven’s light Refrain First Line: Be a blessing on life’s weary mile Lyrics: 1 Would you be a sunbeam filled with Heaven’s light, Shedding forth its beauty over scenes of night? In this world of sorrow, sickness, sin and woe, Try to be a blessing everywhere you go. Refrain: Be a blessing on life’s weary mile, Be a blessing with a word or smile; Be a blessing, everywhere the same; Try to be a blessing in the Master’s name. 2 Where the tears are falling and the hearts are sad, Take some Gospel message that will make them glad; Strive to give them comfort by some loving deed, Try to be a blessing in the time of need. [Refrain] 3 Just a cup of water for the Master’s sake May sweet chords of music in some bosom wake; Seek to help some pilgrim t’ward the golden land, Try to be a blessing, both with voice and hand. [Refrain] 4 If you follow Jesus all along life’s way, You will help to brighten every hour and day: Would you shine in glory brighter than the sun? Try to be a blessing till your work is done. [Refrain] Languages: English Tune Title: [Would you be a sunbeam filled with Heaven’s light]

Be a Blessing

Author: Rev. Johnson Oatman, Jr. Hymnal: The Old Story in Song Number Two #86 (1908) First Line: Would you be a sunbeam filled with heaven’s light Refrain First Line: Be a blessing on life’s weary mile Lyrics: 1 Would you be a sunbeam fill’d with heaven’s light, Shedding forth its beauty over scenes of night? In this world of sorrow, sickness, sin, and woe, Try to be a blessing ev’rywhere you go. Refrain: Be a blessing on life’s weary mile; Be a blessing with a word or smile; Be a blessing, ev’rywhere the same, Try to be a blessing in the Master’s name. 2 Where the tears are falling and the hearts are sad, Take some gospel message that will make them glad; Strive to give them comfort by some loving deed, Try to be a blessing in the time of need. [Refrain] 3 Just a cup of water, for the Master’s sake, May sweet chords of music in some bosom wake; Seek to help some pilgrim t’ward the golden land, Try to be a blessing, both with voice and hand. [Refrain] Tune Title: [Would you be a sunbeam filled with heaven’s light]

Be a Blessing

Author: Johnson Oatman, Jr. Hymnal: Fairer than Day (Enlarged Edition) #16 (1903) First Line: Would you be a sunbeam filled with heaven's light Refrain First Line: Be a blessing on life's weary mile Languages: English Tune Title: [Would you be a sunbeam filled with heaven's light]

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People

Authors, composers, editors, etc.

Johnson Oatman, Jr.

1856 - 1922 Person Name: Rev. Johnson Oatman, Jr. Author of "Be a Blessing" in United Praise Johnson Oatman, Jr., son of Johnson and Rachel Ann Oatman, was born near Medford, N. J., April 21, 1856. His father was an excellent singer, and it always delighted the son to sit by his side and hear him sing the songs of the church. Outside of the usual time spent in the public schools, Mr. Oatman received his education at Herbert's Academy, Princetown, N. J., and the New Jersey Collegiate Institute, Bordentown, N. J. At the age of nineteen he joined the M.E. Church, and a few years later he was granted a license to preach the Gospel, and still later he was regularly ordained by Bishop Merrill. However, Mr. Oatman only serves as a local preacher. For many years he was engaged with his father in the mercantile business at Lumberton, N. J., under the firm name of Johnson Oatman & Son. Since the death of his father, he has for the past fifteen years been in the life insurance business, having charge of the business of one of the great companies in Mt. Holly, N. J., where he resides. He has written over three thousand hymns, and no gospel song book is considered as being complete unless it contains some of his hymns. In 1878 he married Wilhelmina Reid, of Lumberton, N.J. and had three children, Rachel, Miriam, and Percy. Excerpted from Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers by Jacob Henry Hall; Fleming H. Revell, Co. 1914

A. J. Showalter

1858 - 1924 Composer of "[Would you be a sunbeam]" in United Praise Anthony Johnson Showalter USA 1858-1924/ Born in Cherry Grove, VA, he became an organist, gospel music composer, author, teacher, editor, and publisher. He was taught by his father and in 1876 received training at the Ruebush-Kieffer School of Music, Dayton, VA. He also attended George Root’s National Normal school at Erie, PA, and Dr Palmer’s International Normal at Meadville, PA. He was teaching music in shape note singing schools by age 14. He taught literary school at age 19, and normal music schools at age 22, when he also published his first book. In 1881 he married Lucy Carolyn (Callie) Walser of TX, and they had seven children: Tennie, Karl, Essie, Jennie, Lena, Margaret, and Nellie. At age 23 he published his “Harmony & composition” book, and years later his “Theory of music”. In 1884 he moved to Dalton, GA, and in 1890 formed the Showalter Music Company of Dalton. His company printed and published hymnals, songbooks, schoolbooks, magazines, and newspapers, and had offices in Texarkana, AR, and Chattanooga, TN. In 1888 he became a member of the M T N A (Music Teachers National Association) and was vice-president for his state for several years. In 1895 he went abroad to study methods of teachers and conductors in Europe. He held sessions of his Southern Normal Music Institute in a dozen or more states. He edited “The music teacher & home magazine” for 20 years. In 1895 he issued his “New harmony & composition” book. He authored 60+ books on music theory, harmony, and song. He published 130+ music books that sold over a million copies. Not only was he president of the A J Showalter Music Company of Dalton, GA, but also of the Showalter-Patton Company of Dallas, TX, two of the largest music publishing houses in the American south. He was a choir leader and an elder in the First Presbyterian Church in Dalton (and his daughter, Essie, played the organ there). He managed his fruit farm, looking after nearly 20,000 trees , of which 15,000 are the famous Georgia Elberta peaches, the rest being apples, plums, pecans, and a dozen other varieties of peaches. He was also a stockholder and director of the Cherokee Lumber Company of Dalton, GA, furnishing building materials to a large trade in many southern, central and eastern states. He died in Chattanooga, TN, and is buried in Dalton, GA. He loved hymns, and kept up with many of his students over the years, writing them letters of counsel and encouragement. In 2000 Showalter was inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Note: Showalter received two letters one evening from former music students, both of who were grieving over the death of their wives. He had heard a sermon about the arms of Moses being held up during battle, and managed to form a tune and refrain for a hymn, but struggled to find words for the verses that fit. He wrote to his friend in OH, Rev Elisha Hoffman, who had already composed many hymns and asked if he could write some lyrics, which he gladly did. John Perry