John Brown believed he could free the slaves, and in 1859, with a small band of dedicated men, raided the arsenal at Harpers Ferry to gain weapons and supplies to help the effort. Thirty-six hours after the raid began, most of the men were wounded or killed, and John Brown was captured. Abolitionist Brown was…
Category: Hymn Stories
“Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty”
They disagreed. Some took the position that Jesus was “begotten” of God the Father from his own being and therefore had no beginning. Others believed that Jesus was created out of nothing, therefore having a beginning. They couldn’t agree when Easter was to be celebrated. They couldn’t even agree how to run the church. And…
“Every Time I Feel the Spirit”
It is not always possible to find the story behind a song. Songs classified as African-American spirituals, like this one, were typically created by slaves living in the southern United States in the pre-Civil War era. The tunes and words were passed down for generations before even being written. If we try to guess what…
“Brethren, We Have Met to Worship”
Brethren, We Have Met To Worship is one of the oldest published American folk hymns. George Atkins wrote the lyrics and first published them in 1819. The traditional tune, HOLY MANNA, is a pentatonic (5 tone) melody in Ionian mode originally published by William Moore in 1829. Brethren, we have met to worship And adore…
“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”
The eyes are the windows to the soul. Do you believe it? I do. I remember the first wonderful eye contact with my children, the bonding, the joy, the somehow instantly knowing this little person. My focus was entirely on the baby. At that moment, nothing else existed. I remember the last eye contact with…
“O God, Beyond All Praising” (THAXTED)
It was during the turmoil of World War I that English composer Gustav Holst completed The Planets, arguably one of the most popular orchestral suites ever written. The suite has seven movements, each named for a planet. While experiencing the complete suite is certainly ideal, movements are sometimes performed individually. In the case of…
“I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”
“Decide (verb): come to resolution in the mind as a result of consideration.” “Consequence (noun): the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier.” So says dictionary.com. Every decision has consequences, whether big or small, good or bad. Some things happen to us because of decisions we make. Some things happen to us because of…
“I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me”
Anyone who knows me knows that for better or worse, I am a planner, a list-maker, an over-achieving perfectionist. In spite of my color coded post-it notes, volumes of topically organized handwritten notes, meticulous scrap books and perfectly arranged sock drawer, there are only a few things is virtually nothing in my life that is the…
“God of Grace and God of Glory”
“God of grace and God of glory, on your people pour thy power.” These opening words from the hymn with the same name set the mood for a majestic and jubilant hymn. Although it is typically used as a processional hymn, I think it makes a particularly effective closing or recessional hymn, asking for God’s…
“In Times Like These”
Have you ever wondered what might inspire someone to write a song? What event or circumstance motivates a person to sit down and write the words and/or music? In 1944, in the height of World War II, the stress and conflict weighed heavily on British housewife, Ruth Caye Jones. In the midst of going about…
“The King of Love My Shepherd Is”
With a few decades now behind me as a church musician, I have attended, played and/or sung for many funerals and memorial services. Time and time again I have seen people turn to Psalm 23 for comfort in time of loss. Whenever I hear Psalm 23, I am reminded of a very specific time and…
“March of the Kings”
I really wish I could remember the name of my sixth grade music teacher. I would like to thank her. She was a wonderful woman, patiently trying to coax music out of a group of kids who really didn’t want to sing (a challenge for which I have recently gained new appreciation). I was the…
Gail Masinda (History Heights & Maestro Heights) 