Through The Hymnbook

Reverend Bert Jones: The happy chimes are ringing and I welcome you into the organ loft. The chimes have been playing that favorite song, "Love Lifted Me." You probably wanted to sing right along with it. Actually, what it is meaning is that Christ lifted me. We want you to come in and enjoy the music and sing right along.

Well, I'm playing this song from an interesting paper-bound book of 150 pages called Singing Joy. Sing along as we go through Singing Joy.

This book Singing Joy was published in the year 1950 by the Lillenas Publishing Company. Now, 1950 is a long time ago. At least it is a long time ago to many of you listening, but to some of the rest of us, 1950 really doesn't seem that long ago.

It was nice to have this paper-bound book of more than 150 songs published by the Lillenas Publishing Company of Kansas City, Missouri. It included choruses, solos, duets, and songs especially for use in gospel meetings. Song number one is an interesting song. It is a little chorus that I remember well and maybe you do, too, called "Sing Along With Jesus."

Sing along life's pathway with Jesus in your heart. Shed abroad the sunshine. He only can impart. Others soon will catch the spirit. It will make the joybells ring. Sing along life's pathway with Jesus in your heart.

Well, the song was written in 1941 and it's found in this book from the year 1950. But what would be wrong with using it now? That's a good little gospel chorus. I think it's better than some that are used today.

And here's a good little chorus by Harry Dixon Loes: "Every Moment of the Day, My Father Cares for Me." Isn't that good to know?

Maybe you've forgotten those words. Every moment of the day, my Father cares for me. Every moment of the day, my heart from fear is free. He who sees the sparrow fall will hear my call. Every moment of the day, God watches over me.

Here's a good, cheerful little chorus. We often sing it in our services as part of a medley: "He Cannot Fail for He Is God." He cannot fail. He pledged His word. He cannot fail. He'll see you through. He cannot fail. He will answer you. This has the qualities of a hymn.

And there you have the interesting contrast of the great full organ on the regular organ and also the organ on the little synthesizer keyboard. All right, turning across the pages, we're looking for songs that still are sung from this book published in the year 1950.

I dedicate playing these songs to the memory of my brother-in-law, Dr. James Buell Sheahan, who was the husband of my sister, Ruth. Jim had quite a collection of hymnbooks and these hymnbooks have been given to us through the hymnbook library by his widow, Ruth Jones Sheahan. We appreciate these books that Jim had even long years before they were married.

Well, here's an interesting little song. You know this one: "For God So Loved the World."

That makes a great trombone solo, doesn't it? Maybe you can imagine yourself in an old-time Youth For Christ rally with your favorite local song leader playing his trombone. Or maybe Cliff Barrows in an early Billy Graham meeting as Cliff Barrows used to play his trombone. Or Homer Rodeheaver led the singing with his trombone back in the days of Billy Sunday.

And here's a good little chorus. I remember this one so very, very well: "Are We Downhearted? No, no, no." The young people would sing that and really let out on the "no, no, no."

Troubles may come and troubles may go. We trust in Jesus come wheel or woe. Are we downhearted? No, no, no. And in this, we're going to contrast the sound of two different clarinets: a bass clarinet and a regular clarinet.

We're going through a book called Singing Joy from 1950 and I'm sure it's bringing back memories to many of you. You remember the days when these were songs that you sung, perhaps when you were young and went to Sunday school rallies and Christian Endeavor rallies and sang lovely songs that gave you something to live by day by day. Here's a beautiful song: "Let Go and Let God Have His Wonderful Way."

Let go and let God have His way. Your burdens will vanish, your night turn to day if you will let go and let God have His way. What a beautiful, beautiful song. I'm going to use the pan flute to sing this little solo for you.

And right across the page is a beautiful song. I'm sure you have sung it: "Whisper a Prayer in the Morning." Whisper a prayer at noon. Whisper a prayer in the evening to keep your heart in tune.

Stanza two says, "God answers prayer in the morning. God answers prayer at noon. God answers prayer in the evening to keep your heart in tune." And then stanza three: "Jesus may come in the morning. Jesus may come at noon. Jesus may come in the evening, so keep your heart in tune."

Singing Joy was published by the Lillenas Publishing Company in 1950. If you'd be interested in getting a copy of the book, you could always write to Lillenas. You never know, they may have a hundred copies or so back in an old storage bin somewhere and may be glad to sell them to you at a very reasonable price. Here's a great and favorite chorus: "Oh, What a Wonder That Jesus Found Me."

As the brass ensemble plays it, I'll give you the words. Oh, what a wonder that Jesus found me. Out in the darkness, no light could I see. Oh, what a wonder He put His great arm under. And wonder of wonders, He saved even me.

Here's a nice little chorus: "I'm on the Rock, Hallelujah." I'm on the rock to stay. I'm on the rock, Hallelujah, for He lifted me from the miry clay and I'm on the rock to stay. This is a good congregational song.

And everybody sing it. I'm on the rock, Hallelujah. I'm on the rock to stay. Hallelujah, for He lifted me from the miry clay. I'm on the rock to stay.

Here's a good one: "I Believe the Answer's on the Way." Written by Merrill Dunlop, who for so many years has been the organist at Bible Town in Boca Raton, Florida.

I believe the answer's on the way. I believe the Lord has heard me pray. Cast not away your confidence, says the Lord our God. Now by faith in Him alone I stand, firmly held by His almighty hand, fully trusting in His promises. Praise the Lord.

And I think this would be a good song for the saxophone to play. Get that saxophone all tuned up.

And that fellow knows how to play the saxophone, too. Very, very nice. Well, we're playing from Singing Joy, and here we come to the delightful prayer chorus, "Lead Me to Some Soul Today."

O lead me, Lord, is what I pray. Friends of mine are lost in sin and cannot find their way. Few there be who seem to care and few there are who pray. Melt my heart and fill my life and give me one soul today. This beautiful song of prayer, "Lead Me to Some Soul Today," was written by Wendell Loveless.

Melt my heart and fill my life. Give me one soul today.

And with that song, we close Singing Joy. Until next time, this is Bert Jones at the console saying hope you've enjoyed it. I'd love to hear from you. Keep singing. Bye.