Monday, July 9, 2007

Bud's History of the Hymns


July 8, 2007
‘Marching to Zion’ (1867) Page 733
Words: Isaac Watts (1674 – 1748)
Music: Robert Lowry (1826 - 1899)

Because of the controversy between the singing of Psalms and the singing of hymns in the church, church leaders decided to sing Psalms at the beginning of their services and then after the preaching, they would sing hymns.
Many people, who were still against the singing of hymns, would get up and leave the service during hymn singing. Isaac Watts wrote this hymn, ‘We’re Marching to Zion,’ to refute this practice of people walking out during they hymn singing.
Pay particular attention to verse two:
“Let those refuse to sing who never knew our God; but children of the heavenly King, but children of the heavenly King may speak their joys abroad, may speak their joys abroad.”

Meanwhile…1867…140 years ago…in the United States…
President: Andrew Johnson…V.P.: None
In 1867, two railroad cars fell and burned in Angola, NY killing 50 people. The incident is known as the "Angola Horror." Tragedy struck when the worst railroad accident in the history of Erie County occurred on the LakeShore Railroad. The train, made up of three first-class coaches (a smoking car, and two baggage cars), was eastbound and due in Buffalo at 1:30 P.M. Several hundred yards beyond the Angola depot as the train was approaching the bridge over Big Sister Creek, the rear coach loosened an axle, worked it- self from the rails, and pulled off the coach just in front of it. The rear car broke loose and went plunging down the bank to the creek below. The second car almost reached the far end of the wooden span when its coupling was torn loose and it also went rolling down the bank resting on its side. In this car were two pot-bellied coal stoves used for heating, and both of them were thrown among the victims. Almost immediately the wreckage caught fire. By the time water could be brought from a nearby farm house it was too late. Fifty persons died in the fire of this coach; only three managed to crawl out.

Ref. HymnHistories BuffaloHistory HymnHistories SheridanSettler TanBible

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