Candles in the Night -- No. 7

THE Bible reveals that at the foundation of our world "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:7). Joyful praise is basic in our worship of the Creator. It requires no stretch of the imagination to think of Mother Eve singing her original lullaby to her infant son, ac­companied, perhaps, by the whispering south wind. This has always been the way of motherhood. Women have ever lifted their voices in expressing gratitude to their Creator. Woman is fitted by nature to use song as an expression of love for the gift of life. It is natural for her to use her voice in an act of worship.

Miriam, the sister of Moses the prophet, sang at the Red Sea with her journeying, marching sisters, the oldest national an­them—"Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously" (Ex. 15:21). Later in history, Deborah's victory for the Israel­ites was celebrated in her martial song (Judges 5). Here, in holy lyric, this great woman judge praised the battle coopera­tion of leadership and people. We observe that "her wise ladies answered her." The daughters of God have long distinguished themselves in voicing their holy enthusi­asm. Often woman's gratitude to God was expressed in original poetry set to spon­taneous music. The virgin Mary dedicated the Magnificat to God when she became His joyous handmaiden.

Edith Deen's inspiring book Great Women of the Christian Faith has an in­teresting chapter titled, "They Sang to the World." From this source we may receive a larger vision of the influence of lyric and song in Christendom. Throughout the centuries women became the composers of gospel hymns and songs. In recent times Christian women have supplemented the evangelist's preaching talents by inspiring audience response to appropriate altar calls. Theirs is a ministry of song! The familiar dedication hymn "Just as I Am," written by Charlotte Elliott, became the moving power to assist many a halting sinner to step out boldly for Christ. For a quarter of a century Charlotte Elliott's Christian Remembrance Pocket-Book and her revised hymnbook for invalids, served an evangelistic need. This included about one hundred of her lyrical compositions. Nearing her eighty-first year, she wrote to a trusted friend: "I feel so great an age as mine requires three things— great faith, great patience and peace. Come what may during the year upon which we have entered, I firmly believe that goodness and mercy, like two guardian angels, will follow me every day."—Great Women of the Christian Faith, p. 304.

Did you know that Harriet Beecher Stowe's hymn "Still, Still With Thee" was written after her little son Charles had died from cholera? Or that Julia Ward Howe's majestic march of victory was written on a scrap of paper in the dark? It was our na­tion's gloomiest hour during the Civil War when this woman framed her poem on a Bible prophecy,

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord:

He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored.

It broke the spell of national discourage­ment. The beloved, blind Fanny Crosby be­came the author of more than eight thou­sand religious poems. Many of these were set to music by her blind husband who was the organist in two New York City churches. These songs were the inspiration to launch the young Christian into a new life in Christ. Some of the lesser spiritual gospel ditties of our day are a decided contrast to her deeply spiritual songs.

Here are a few of the musical contri­butions of dedicated women to the Chris­tian church. "Nearer, My God, to Thee" was written by Sarah Flower Adams (1805-1849); "I Need Thee Every Hour" by Annie S. Hawks (1835-1918); "I Gave My Life for Thee" and "Take My Life and Let It Be" by Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879); "That Sweet Story of Old" was com­posed by Jemima Luke (1813-1906); "More Love to Thee" was composed by Elizabeth Prentiss (1818-1878); "God the Father Gives Us Grace" by one of the greatest English poets, Christina Rossetti (1830-1894); "He Lives, the Great Redeemer Lives" by Anne Steele (1716-1778) who is the foremost of Baptist hymn writers.

My youthful experience in Lutheranism brought me in touch with the masters such as Bach, Haydn, Beethoven, and many others. My musical essences early "jelled" in my soul. But never do I hear or sing Martin Luther's Reformation hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," without be­coming profoundly stirred into a reforma­tion mood. When Adventism dawned on my consciousness, the desire to complete the Reformation in earth's last warning mes­sages pressed for the right decision.

These impressions should come to Ad-ventists today with a new impact. We owe the world a responsibility to have the Ad­vent Movement portrayed in verse and song. The Mormon believers in their great west­ward trek have captured the pioneering spirit in the music of their group. To us as a people comes the challenge to rise with fervor by pen, voice, and instrumental compositions to feature a distinctive Adventist song ministry.

Not infrequently Adventist youth enjoy reliving the pioneer experiences set forth in some of the hymns and songs we find in our Church Hymnal (numbers 659-670). How we thrill to Annie R. Smith's songs, "Long Upon the Mountains" and "How Far From Home?" Her brother, Uriah Smith, also gave us two very appropriate songs—"O Brother, Be Faithful" and "Dark Is the Hour." The first may have been a sugges­tion on the occasion of an ordination serv­ice, the other by the need of doctrinal or­thodoxy on the state of the dead. Here Annie Smith helped her brother by her lyrical contribution "He Sleeps in Jesus." Ten of her productions are listed in our hymnal and these reveal a rugged Advent­ist mood. Our hymnal lists three hymns by Anne Steele, the afore-mentioned Bap­tist hymn writer. She composed the well-known hymn "My Maker and My King!"

We have placed much emphasis on Christian education, and music has been fostered well in our ranks. But are we sat­isfied to let other Christian groups supply our hymnody? Do we need to substitute for "responses" of our worship service the mys­tical "chants," or shall we rightly belong with the originators and the church artists? We want to challenge our shepherdesses, many of whom are skilled musicians and gifted with talent for composing. Must we wait for another generation of believers to give us this Adventist ministry of song? Dare we wait, knowing the significance of the times in which we live?

God has provided for the church all the talents required for this hour. May we hope that the next decade will mark a wholesome upsurge in Adventist hymn writing? Per­haps a few more student contests initiated by our teaching shepherdesses and artists could prove effective for creating worship­ful and inspirational Adventist music.