Fascinating Facts of the Faith 

 2008 Barbour Publishing,Inc.

Songs of the Faith

Imagine how it must have felt to be separated from your loved ones and taken far from your native land–against your will. Is it any wonder that African-Americans living as slaves in America embraced Christianity? It provided the promise of hope and freedom from bondage in the life to come.

Unlike free men, those living under the fist of slavery had no time for a convenient faith. It was to them a port in the storm, a life boat in the ocean, a vibrant part of everything they did. It had to be. One of the results of their passionate faith was a body of African spirituals–simple, poignant, and faith-filled–that remains with us today.

All that’s known of this beautiful, almost childlike melody is that it is of African-American Christian origin. Perhaps it was sung by weary, frighened voices on board slave ships or later as the slaves labored side by side in the fields. The song’s message of simple surrender to God’s loving care is certainly consistent with the slaves’ experience. And it is still capable–even these many years after the abolition of slavery–of rendering a tender, heartfelt emotion for those who raise its lovely strains to heaven.

As is the case with other African-American Christian folk songs, this one is meant to be sung by one or many singers and lends itself well to both unison and harmony. 

Fact: Gene Shay, cofounder and host of the Philadelphia Folk Festival, said, “In the strictest sense, [folk music] is music that is rarely written for profit. It’s music that has endured and been passed down by oral tradition. . . .Also, what distingishes folk music is that it is participatory–you don’t have to be a great musician to be a folk singer. . . .And finally, it brings a sense of community. It’s the people’s music.

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. I Chronicles 16:34

God Is So Good — music provided, you provide the praise.

Praying For These

 If you would like to put your name in the drawing for the book, Free To Be Me by Betty Robison click HERE and leave me a comment. A drawing for the winner will be conducted Thursday night at 8:00 PM. So don’t wait too late to give me a shout.

Another day of Fascinating Facts of the Faith.

Originally, the first line of this great hymn was “Crown Him with crowns of gold,” which proved to be quite popular in the United States. With the gold rush still fresh in singers’ minds, this must have seemed particularly appropriate.

Matthew Bridges, an Anglican, wrote his version at the age of fifty-eight, shortly after converting to Catholicism. He named it, “The Song of the Scraphs.” More than twenty years later, Godfrey Thring wrote six additional verses and added them to those of Bridges, making twelve verses in all. Each celebrated a different aspect of Christ’s kingship, providing a musical teaching of His person and ministry. Since that time, both their names appear with the song in hymnals, even though they most likely never met.

Allow me to share a page from one of the books I am reading this year.

Day 20

Count Your Blessings
Words by Johnson Oatman (1897)
Music by Edwin O. Excell (1897)

Johnson Oatman was a busy man. While carrying out his responsibilities as a Methodist minister, he also ran a thriving mercantile business, served as an administrator for a large New Jersey insurance company, and wrote the words to five thousand hymns over his lifetime. “Count Your Blessings” is generally considered to be his finest.

The music was written by well-known gospel hymnist Edwin O. Excell, who first published it in his songbook for young people in 1897. Born in Stark County, Ohio, Excell left home at the age of twenty to become a singing teacher. He traveled around the country, setting up music schools. He composed the music for more than two thousand songs and published fifty songbooks.

Once published, “Count Your Blessings” quickly became a favorite both in America and abroad. During the time of the great revival in Wales, it was said to be sung at almost every service. While reporting on a revival meeting in the area, the London Daily said the hymn was introduced enthusiastically with these words, “In South London, the men sing it, the boys whistle it, and the women rock their babies to sleep on this hymn.”

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Fact: Johnson Oatman also wrote notable hymns “Higher Ground” and “No Not One.”

From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. John 1:16

Praying for These

ABBA, thank You for these wonderful hymns, words and music to our souls that have been with us these many many years; songs penned by brothers to allow us to sing Your eternal Truths.  Thank You. I pray that we will not only sing them, but live them for Your Name sake, LORD JESUS.  I pray for us that even before this day is through each of us will have come up to Higher Ground, and for sure a means to get there is by Counting Your Blessings to us.  ABBA, before we close this I ask that You minister truth, blessings, health and help to our folks listed at Praying for These and for our IDOK Troops we pray for peace and safety.  And, HOLY SPIRIT, send us a great revival. We are so in need of You to pour out conviction, mellow and soften hearts, enabling us to repent.  Thank You for hearing us; thank You for answering in JESUS name. Amen and amen.

Until Friday  + + +
Kathie