Old Prospect Anniversary

Not a great hymn for this Sunday morning, but rather one I tried to eke out in honor of our Church Anniversary. I wrote the music after our 40th Anniversary in 2014, and have added a second stanza for the 50th Anniversary today. 

We look for whatever the Lord has in store for us, whether it be 50 more years or 50 hours. Most of us at the church will certainly not be around in this world for 50 more years. However, the Lord may replenish the body, or even better, he may call us all – the dead in Christ and those who are alive & remain – to be together with him.

Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

1. On the sixth day of the month October
In Nineteen Hundred Seventy-four
Old Prospect Church was constituted
To go forth in the name of the Lord.

2. By the grace of God still we are meeting
Unto to him the glory does belong.
Fifty years in his sight are but nothing,
Though to us they seem so very long.

Chorus:
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, praise the Lord;
Glory be unto the Father,
Glory in the church of God.

After I wrote the tune Old Prospect Anniversary, I thought it had a familiar ring. I recently decided in has shades of The Great Roll Call in it. That was not deliberate; I think I picked it up unconsciously while trying to sing the words in a workable way. Above is what it looks like (click to enlarge).

We are having anniversary services this afternoon (October 6th) at 2:00 p.m. You all come and be with us.

In Adam’s fall

1. Die we all in Adam’s fall.
Sickness, shame, and sorrow, too,
All within, because of sin—
What we are, and say, and do.

2. Mark it well, the Bible tells,
“The wages of sin is death.”
So we must return to dust
Giving up our life and breath.

3. There upon a judgment throne
Sits the Lord the righteous one.
Thus we’re called to answer all
In and through God’s only Son.

4. Death and hell, consider well!
When the book of life is scanned
Let us see, the only plea—
Is in Jesus Christ we’re found.

7s. March 1, 2024.

Weeping in Ramah

Weeping in Ramah, a Common Meter hymn written December 18, 2012.

1. A petty king whose heart inflamed
Because a child was born;
Deigned many children had to die
Lest they might be that one.

2. The wise men sent by God had told
How God had birthed a king.
Thus Herod doubly troubled was
When he had heard this thing.

3. By guile he thought the wise men would
Be tricked to name the place,
Where the babe was, King of the Jews –
Where Jesus safely lay.

4. But wise men, being warned by God
Departed another way.
And Joseph, too, a warning had
To Egypt make their stay.

5. While Joseph ran and Herod raged,
To weeping Ramah fell;
Bethlehem’s sons less two in age
Are slain — no longer live.

6. Oh, hush, onlooker, be thou still;
Lament for Ramah’s loss.
Then for yourself, lament again—
See Jesus on the cross!

7. This native child of Bethlehem,
Had come himself to die;
To save his people from their sins
And raise them up on high.

8. Evil and sin obscure our skies,
And mourning comes in view;
But Jesus won the victory—
So there’s rejoicing, too.

For Thanksgiving

7s meter. Written November 19, 2022.

1. Come, ye thankful people, come
Who have found a heavenly home;
Laud him—loud his praises swell:
“Jesus hath done all things well.”

2. Come, assemble, worship here.
Go, and spread the gospel cheer.
Of him speak, his mercies tell:
“Jesus hath done all things well.”

3. Come, and bow before the Lord,
Saviour he—beloved, adored;
Champion over death and hell:
“Jesus hath done all things well.”

4. Come, eternally extol
Maker, Saviour, of your souls.
Safe in heav’n forever dwell
“Jesus hath done all things well.”

Blessed, they that die

Blessed Dead, Short Meter (Revelation 14:13; 21:3-4), written January 17, 2020

“…Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth…”

1. A voice from heaven said
John, write this in the word;
The Spirit says—yea, God reveals—
And this is that he heard.

2. Blessed they are that die
If dying in the Lord;
At last they from their labors rest
And pass to their reward.

3. From sin and sorrow free—
There is no weeping there;
God’s tender hand shall wipe away.
The penitential tear.

4. There’ll be no sorrow there
From pain and death set free; 
The former things are passed away
They shall his people be.

The Providential Best

The Providential Best. 8.8.8.6.D. (2006)

1. God, what Thou hast prepared for me,

I do not know, I cannot see,

But satisfied that it will be

Thy providential best.

Thy Word assures, Thou, Father, art

With sovereign grace and loving heart

A watchman o’er Thy children’s part,

And give eternal rest.

Appreciation of God’s amazing grace

The following hymn I wrote circa 1989. It is not Watts or Wesley quality poetry, but is a sincere expression of my appreciation of God’s amazing grace. The 7.8.7.8. meter pattern makes it not an easy hymn to match with a tune.

1. Oh, the love that drew me in
When I was sinking in my sin.
Oh, how sure the firm decree
Enduring all eternity.

2. Oh, the grace that called my name
As I was drowning in my shame;
Oh, how great our God must be
That He has grace for even me!

3. Oh, what mercy that God would
Bestow a look toward one no good;
Oh, beyond all grasp or thought
That I by Jesus’ blood am bought!

4. Saved by grace, Oh, wondrous sound!
How His great mercy did abound.
Saved by grace or bound for hell—
If saved by grace, then all is well.

The Way of Life

The Way of Life. 9s.8s. w/chorus (February 13, 2017)

1. The fine-spun web--the spider's token--
Is like the things we weave on earth.
The web of life with ease is broken--
A tenuous thread to death from birth.
Chorus:
But Jesus Christ, the sinner's friend,
The web of life can spin again.
There is no doubt, we need a Saviour
For life is short and death is sure.

2. How bright and gay the fresh bloomed flower,
It cheers the heart and makes the day.
But comes apace the fatal hour--
Bright promises vanish away.
Chorus:
But Jesus Christ, the sinner's friend,
The bloom of life can bud again.
There is no doubt, we need a Saviour
For life is short and death is sure.

A Time to Die

I know there is a time to die.
I don't know when, but I know why.
The 'when' is settled in God's plan;
The 'why' is that we're sinful man.

Since all have sinned, so all must die:
A holy God brings justice nigh.
Death is the wages paid for sin;
To live you must be born again.

The gift of life, a gift of God
Delivers from the chastening rod.
Eternal life, eternal bliss,
God gives to all them that are His.

By the blogger, 10 November 2016

For Thanksgiving

By the blog owner, Common Meter (25 Nov 2015) 

1. Our God a gracious Saviour is, 
A Shepherd and a King. 
He lifts us from our miry pits 
To feed on pastures green. 

2. He sets our feet upon a Rock: 
That Rock is Christ the Lord, 
Who leads us by the waters still-- 
The water of His word. 

3. Give thanks, give thanks with paeans loud, 
Strew palm leaves at His feet. 
Thank Jesus for His sacrifice, 
And for His mercy seat!

Public domain.

The Rock

The Rock, July 1, 2015. Common meter.

1. Our Rock is not like other rocks, 
He is the Living Lord;
He lives and reigns in heav'n above,
For thus says God's true word.

2. That Rock that followed Israel
Through all the wilderness
Was Christ from whence the water flowed,
Who by his hand them fed.

3. Upon this Rock he built his church
For glory and for praise;
The gates of hell shall not prevail
In all her length of days.

4. He is our Rock, our Living Lamb,
The one foundation stone.
He knows his own and all of them
Are lodged secure thereon.

Rest on Jesus' bosom

In memory of our loved ones, on the day of our Holleman cemetery homecoming:

Rest on Jesus' bosom. 8s.7s.

1. Our favored ones have gone to rest,
And with the dead are numbered;
Ere long they'll rise among the blessed,
When God's last trump is sounded.
Chorus:
They're gone to rest among the blessed
We hope to meet in heaven;
Yes, gone to rest on Jesus's breast--
This blessing God has given.
2. There free from every pain and care
They rest on Jesus' bosom;
The Spirit whispers, "They're not here,"
Though at the tombs we gaze on.
Chorus:
3. By grace through faith we hope to gain
Yet once again to meet them;
When Christ the Lord comes back again,
With joy and peace we'll greet them.
Chorus:

- Arranged by R. L. Vaughn, 11 June 2015, from a poem found online in a memorial to Mary Jane Reese. She died of scarlet fever in 1879 at age three, and her father wrote a poem in memory of her. I've also written a tune for the above words, and will try to post it after I get it typeset.

With shape notes and a Sacred Harp

Here's a dab of doggerel for your day. Maybe some of you will enjoy it.

With shape notes and a Sacred Harp. C. M. (April 22, 2015)

1. There was a man in olden days

B. F. White was his name.

He made a friend in E. J. King

And taught him how to sing.

2. Together with their talents they

Compiled a great song book,

With shape notes and a Sacred Harp--

Well, that was all it took!

3. Young E. J. died before they could

Get their book back from press.

So B. F. took it on himself

To try to do his best.

4. He formed a music convention

They called Southern M. C.

It laid a solid foundation

From "A" to "Zynder-Zee."

5. The singing spread both near and far

Across the southern land;

To shape notes and The Sacred Harp,

A loyal faithful band.

6. When B. F. died there were no more

Editions of his book.

But lovers of the songs therein

Kept singing their hearts out.

7. Cooper and James and J. L. White

Decided that they could,

All take the book and revise it

For singers' future good.

8. The Densons came and did their part,

To add a future store

Of tunes made in the old time way

To sing on more and more.

9. The singings waned, but then blossomed

To spread from shore to shore;

And soon they couldn't be contained

Within the U.S. border.

10. Living composers write new tunes

In both important keys.

They write with strength, they write with power

With praise and energy.

11. With three song books and lots of heart

We're singing still today;

With shape notes and a Sacred Harp

In the old fashioned way.

12. We're singing loud, we're singing proud,

We're singing still today--

With shape notes and a Sacred Harp

In the old fashioned way.

Awesome God

Written 20 Dec 2014, Meter 7s. 3 stanzas

Awesome is our God alone.
Creature, bow before His throne.
Cast thy best before His feet;
Seek Him at His mercy seat.

Holy reverend is His name,
Who for sinners took their blame;
Died upon a cursèd tree---
Low before Him bow the knee.

Jesus, fount from whence our stream,
Flows from Thee and back again;
Awesome is Thy name so high,
In the earth and in the sky.

Chilling winds and biting cold

Chilling winds and biting cold,
They will chill us to the soul;
And our frozen hearts as well
Are feeding on the depths of hell.
With Thy Holy Spirit, Lord,
And the preaching of Thy Word,
Warm our hearts, breathe on the soul
Till only Thee our eyes behold.

In a graveyard

In a graveyard. 6s. (February 12, 2010)

1. Gone but not forgotten
Engraved upon the stone
But the stone was broken
And lying all alone.
2. Who here beneath the ground
Sleeps in this silent tomb?
And shall we, too, be found
In such a lonesome doom?
3. Gone and soon forgotten
As mem'ries fade away
Time goes on a-marching
And night replaces day.
4. Lying, unremembered--
Yes, O, how sad to see!
Nay, how glad unnumbered,
If God remember thee!!

On a snowy day a week ago, perhaps I was thinking gloomy thoughts. In this little poem I tried to capture the feeling I once had walking through a graveyard and seeing an old dilapidated stone bearing the testimony "Gone but not forgotten." How incongruous! How depressing! It made an impression on me. I bought some epoxy and put the stone back together.

But, in perspective, it is only sad in nature's realm. In the last verse I try to set aside the human emotion to remember what is of true and lasting spiritual worth.

Hymn book

A Sheaf of Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs is back from the printer and available to those who are interested. It contains 300 Christian hymns for worship or devotional reading. The cost is $11.99; the book is 4.25" x 7", 186 pages, spiral bound. Published by Waymark Publications June, 2009.

A Sheaf of Psalms

...and Hymns and Spiritual Songs.

Off-and-on over the course of about 6 or 7 years, I have quietly worked on a hymn book. I have mentioned this before to some, but most are not aware of it. I have been compiling hymns for a new words-only hymn book, and setting it up in hymn book format. It seems that I am possibly near being able to go through with printing it. These types of hymn books are not used so much today, but that would not matter if it were something churches might be interested in and could get a blessing from.

On the basis of the apostle Paul’s writing in Ephesians and Colossians, the book would be divided under three heads: I. Psalms; II. Hymns; and III. Spiritual Songs. Under the first head would be poems/hymns based on the 150 Psalms of the Old Testament, varying from metrical rearrangements of the words to paraphrases of a Psalm into New Testament language. Hopefully this might encourage a renewed commitment to singing of the Psalms. I don't hold the position of "exclusive psalmody" -- that all singing must be from the Psalms. But the arrangement will perhaps impress upon our minds that we are singing the Psalms. Other hymn books do indeed contain hymns based on the Psalms, but we are often not made aware that we are singing such. Under the second head would be hymns based on great themes of scripture (atonement, church, faith, grace, judgment, predestination, prayer, repentance, etc.), or upon particular texts of scripture. The third head would be comprised of hymns more of an experiential nature. These are intended to be in accordance with God’s word, but in them the authors relate some experience or experiences through which they have been led by God’s grace and providence. Under these three heads there are a great variety and consistency of poems touching the revelation of God, both Old and New Testament, as well as themes describing how God has continued to work among His people through this age in accord with the divine revelation.

The idea is to fill the book with hymns that are not in Benjamin Lloyd's Primitive Hymns, thereby hoping to make it profitable for use as a supplement to those who already use Lloyd's hymn book. It could supplement other hymn books as well, though it may contain some hymns in common with them. If planned correctly, there is no duplication of this new book and Lloyd's book.

Despite its design to supplement Lloyd's and mainly for use with that words-only hymn book, it could also be used as:
A primary hymn book. It certainly will serve for this, though the absence of such traditional hymns as Amazing Grace, Alas and Did My Savior Bleed, How Firm a Foundation would be quite noticeable.
A source for devotional hymn readings. It contains many old and some new hymns, from various sources.
A gift to give friends. Hopefully the type printing will make it functional and have an appealing appearance.

I am looking at printing it in soft-cover plastic-lamination double wire wrap-around, which would be durable, while allowing the pages to lay flat. The wrap-around would allow for spine printing for edge/bookshelf visibility of the title. The book would be 186 pages, 300 hymns, with first line, meter, and subject indexes, 4¼" x 7" on 60# smooth white paper. Based on the quantity I have printed, shipping, etc., it would cost anywhere from $6 to $10.

I would welcome any thoughts that any of you have.

The cornerstone rejected

The Stone which the builders rejected, being an imaginary meeting of builders to discuss selecting a cornerstone.

When on one night the builders bright, met in consultation;
And then upon the cornerstone, turned the conversation.

Said one, "We need to find with speed a secure foundation,
On which we might provide the site for our fabrication."

Another strode from his abode, to the congregation.
Said he, "We must, upon this dust, build with conservation."

One man implored, "We can't afford, in our situation,
To use the best on which to rest our configuration."

And so they chose, as need arose, poorer conformation.
Their building built began to tilt -- a true abomination.

Upon this ground it will be found, upon examination,
How low it lies, it did not rise to its expectation.

Junior moments

These little "ditties" were written in May of my junior year in high school -- 1975 (and were never intended to be sung). I don't remember the circumstances exactly, but they were associated with some class assignment. I have saved them all these years and I pass them along here for some unknown reason.

Neglect
The boat rotted
as it waited
to be boarded.

Toil and fun
Toil is tedious
Unless
Flavored with fun.
Fun is frivolous
Without
Work well done.

Wondering, wandering
The world is wondering
what will be done.
Our wisdom's wandering
down in the dung.
To which I added in 1988:
The "church" is clamoring
cancel the cross
Let's do some counseling
at any cost.
And sometime:
Is there help? Is there hope?
What will be done?
Yes, there's help. Yes, there's hope.
God's only Son.