Historic convention now history

The 153rd anniversary sessionof the East Texas Convention is now history. We hope it was a success. Only those of you who came know for sure.

Perhaps others can give a better description of the singing, but I'd like to pass along thanks. Thanks to EVERYONE who attended. We would not have a singing if someone didn't come! Thanks to all of you who took from your time you could have been doing something else to spend time with us. Thanks to those who keyed the music. Thanks to the committees. Thanks to those who gave donations. Thanks to those who helped us publicize it, both far and near. Thanks to Bobby Watkins for preserving our history by recording it and making it available. Thanks to anyone to whom I forgot to thank. Thanks to the Lord.

A visitor from Benton, AR told us about an unique isolated survival of singing from William Walker's Christian Harmony. Every 3rd Sunday in May Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Tull, AR hosts an "Old Folks' Singing". The singing dates back to 1885. Currently it consists of singing from the Christian Harmony in the morning session (with piano accompanying), and from the Cokesbury Hymnal in the afternoon session. I googled and got a few hits, including: Old Folks' Singing is Sunday in Tull

Finally, a poem. It is/was attempt to capture a few thoughts this morning as I meditated upon our task as memorial committee. In honor of those we memorialized today, and all of our Sacred Harp family who have passed on to the other side:

For just awhile our blessed Lord
Put them on earth to sing:
They sang the notes, they sang the words.
They made the rafters ring.

Then Jesus said, "Come up higher,
So you can be with Me.
Now you can join the heavenly choir
And sing eternally."