“Good morning everyone. Let’s stand, shall we? There now, please open to. . .”
David Edward’s Welsh accent met the ear of Southerners like a tugboat whistle would a native Inlander. We took up our hymn books – Redemption Songs.
Easy to spot – nearly impossible in fact, to miss – the treasured little hardback, was drawn from clever book pouches fitted to the backside of sanctuary pews across the Tabernacle.
Hymns spanning centuries – their greater numbers sung by European worshippers rather than North American Yanks were enclosed in sturdy little, deep red hard-backs. They featured no musical notes, only hymn lyrics – some inspired this century, many earlier on – numbering near a thousand in all. Of this grand host of songs I had heard just a tiny fraction. Distinguished, endearing Professor Edwards continued.
“We want to lay aside the morning’s cares, and those of the evening to come. The Lord is here, meeting with us”, he stated with believable conviction. “Such a good and great and worthy Father.”
It was David Edwards himself who had introduced Redemption Songs to the Elim campus.
“His Spirit meets with us gathered now”, Edwards concluded. “Let’s worship him.”
The very first stanzas in a growing parade of lyrics – winsome and wise, deep and lofty – drew me in.
From O for a Thousand Tongues to O Worship the King, to Love Divine All Love Excelling. . .
Penned by past-slave-trader to fine-art composer, their enduring melodies rallied anew. The humble artists proved themselves masters of prose. And cadence. And holiness. Havergal, Spafford and Newton, Cowper, Scriven and Wesley – opening to us their seasoned wines.
Stepping afterwards from the hillside chapel in the modest New York hamlet, I sensed an inner beckoning. An invitation to drink deeply, richly, joyfully. From sacred, deeper-than-deep fountains of ancient truth. Set to music.
I somehow, in the moment, had the presence of mind to respond to the welcome, and not look back.
If a person had no access to the Bible throughout all his lifetime – but owned the collection of Charles Wesley’s Hymns alone, he would have all that is needed for salvation’s offer, the way of living fully in Christ and the eternal hope of heaven. – Geoffrey Hawksley, Missionary. British Assembly of God
©2018 Jerry Lout
Takes me back so many years. Grew up at Elim. Still miss it. Blessings.
So do we. A lot. Thank you, Faith