Which are your favourites?

The hymn "Redeemed" is one of my all-time favorites!

Halfstep Denise

I love the hymn "God Will Lift Up You Head" although I never heard it until Jars of Clay did a classic hymns CD.

When Peace Like a River

The circumstances that produced this hymn were shattering, it is a remarkable evidence of faith and I also love the harmonies in the chorus.

How many of you are familiar with the earliest Adventist hymnody called "Sacred Harp"? James White's father was a singing master in that tradition traveling from place to place having singing schools. He did not use the shape notes that now are more frequently seen in the songbooks used by Sacred Harp singers. The reason I bring this up is in honor of Wayne Hooper who restored many of the Sacred Harp hymns to us in the 1980 version of our SDA Hymnal. You may have heard by now that he died a week ago.

Yes. Wayne Hooper was a great deal more than just an Adventist musician. I felt the Review piece didn't do him justice.

But that's the trouble when you outlive all those who've known you intimately. I can still remember when he started singing with the King's Heralds, in the 1940s. Professor Harold Greer from PUC traveled with the King's Heralds and coached the singers. Prof. Greer stayed in our home during an evangelistic campaign led by Ben Glanzer in the [then new] Sligo Church. Professor Greer and my parents were very close friends, since my dad used to teach at PUC and my mom sang in Greer's a capella choir for nearly ten years [before and after her college years].

Wayne Hooper's gift for composing--including not only composing new anthems, but also researching early Advent hymns and scoring them for various vocal arrangements--is legend. Musicians today practically worship the music Wayne Hooper has composed. He was a master of harmony and composition. I cringe when I read "He's mainly known as the composer of 'We Have This Hope.'" That's spoken by a non-musician, obviously.

One of my many, many favorites is the hymn "Never Part Again", which was sung at my father's memorial service at our church. I just love the chorus where the congregation can divide itself into two groups and alternate back and forth.

My Dad's favorite, which we sang at is funeral was
At the Cross." It was the only song he ever sang, because he couldn't carry a tune...but he will then.

This is a bit off topic and I am no musician - but your mention of Professor Greer brought back pleasant memories of reading "Hymns at Heaven's Gate" which told some of his life story. He spent some time in Australia teaching music at Avondale College and was closely involved with what was known as the Avondale Symphonic Choir. I imagine you count yourself blessed, Jeannie, to have known Professor Greer.

That has brought back so many memories of the Professor Greer and that choir! How I WISHED that I could sing well enough to sing in that choir! However, I am sure Professor Greer will have a choir in heaven, and then I am sure that I will be able to qualify!

I guess, too, that you could count "We Have this Hope" as one of my favourites. I have always loved, not only the words, but the stirring music.

I chose that hymn to be sung at my husband's funeral service. A brass quartette had provided some music during the earlier part of the service, and when we came to the end, and the organ began to play the introduction to "We Have this Hope", the quartette took it upon themselves to stand up and play along with the organ, and truly one could not help but feel the majesty of the hymn, as the full chapel, the band, and the organ voiced together the only hope that we have -- the Hope of Christ's Return and the Resurrection.

Beryl

Yes, Nan, I enjoyed reading "Hymns at Heaven's Gate" also. His daughter (who wrote it) was a beautiful young matron at the time I remember her. Don't know if she actually lived in Takoma Park when we did, but that's where I met her. She had a son about 10 at the time. Some of the stories told there are legend. The choir members were just like a family, and when they went on choir tour they grew very close.

I don't recall (if I ever knew) just which years he taught at Avondale. But we lived in D.C. during WWII, and he came to visit us there at least once.
Did he ever return to teaching at PUC after Avondale?

Meant to say earlier that my mom's 10 years +/- in the choir were "before, during, and after" her college years.

I remember the story of Prof. Greer driving the choir bus on the tour. In order to stay awake he'd eat chocolate bars.

What a perfect close to your husband's funeral service, Beryl -- singing "We Have This Hope!" It's true, isn't it, that the hope in the coming of the Lord sustains us until we can be reunited with our loved ones.

I can just hear the brass quartet and the organ, together with an entire congregation, singing those powerful words and music! Thanks for telling us about it. It must have been very emotional for you. Even singing hymns in church tends to make me teary-eyed to this day.

I have such fond memories of singing hymns in church growing up. I think my favorite musically would be Fairest Lord Jesus. My favorite for words and how deeply it touches me would be When Peace Like a River. Then, the one that probably makes me smile most from my childhood, would be Blessed Assurance, or maybe To God Be the Glory.

I like Seeking the Lost

re Prof Greer - he was at Avondale in the early fifties I think, I do not know where in the US he went after that appointment.

"I think my favorite musically would be Fairest Lord Jesus."

That takes me back to 1950!! That was my graduation year at Avondale. I will always remember Prof. Greer's choir, on Sabbath morning, slowly walking down the aisle, singing "Fairest Lord Jesus" as they entered the chapel, taking their places in the choir loft for the Sabbath morning service. It was a lovely part of the "ritual".

Beryl

Beryl were you at Avondale with (Pr) Doug Martin?

I was flower girl at his wedding in 1951 when he married May Shirley....and years later delivered one of their grandsons.

Pr Martin certainly perpetuated the musical legacy he received.

I have really enjoyed reading these posts!! I can't even begin to tell my favorite hymn as there are too many!! I have always loved, "The Old Rugged Cross", and "I Come To the Garden Alone". Just to name a couple.

When I was a child riding back home from where ever, my sister would start singing "We are Nearing Home" when we started getting close to home!! That is a special memory.

I will have to go to our ABC and look for the book mentioned, "Hymns At Heaven's Gates." Sounds very interesting.

"Fairest Lord Jesus" is another favorite of mine, as well, as is "Redeemed".

On that note, I think that I will have very pleasant dreams tonite.

Morning Glory

Good to see you on, Morning Glory! :) Please come again soon!

No, Nan, I wasn't. I had actually completed most of the Bible Worker's course here in Western Australia, at the Western Australian Missionary College, as it was named at that time. I only had to do the final year at Avondale.

Incidently, if any ex WAMSCO students are around, this is the college's centennial year. The big celebrations will be in October.

WAMSCO began as the Darling Range school, then became WAMSCO as a boarding school, catering for older students, and is now Carmel College, with only a few boarding places, now mainly a years 8 - 12 secondary school with limited boarding capacity.

There are a lot of memories! If I could have those days over again!!

God bless,

Beryl

If you haven't already, you should go to the Voice of Prophecy web site and download the short video tribute to Wayne Hooper - he's leading a massed choir and orchestra in "We Have This Hope". I also really enjoyed the audio file telling how he wrote this particular hymn.

Thanks for the suggestion, James. I just followed your lead and listened to Wayne Hooper directing a massed choir and congregation, with orchestra and pipe organ, singing We Have This Hope.

I recognized this performance. I was singing in that choir, made up of all (or several of) the church choirs in the L.A. area; and it took place at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA. It was one of several VOP services celebrating their 75(?) years of radio broadcasting.

He still looked hale and hearty then, didn't he! It couldn't have taken place more than three (maybe 3 1/2) years ago.

My Favortie Hynms is are It IS Well, Abide With Me, Nearer Still Nearer and My Jesus I Love Thee.

Dave

One of my favorite songs is "A Song of Heaven and Homeland"
which we sang a lot for special programs at Modesto Union Academy in California, when I was in academy there. Sang in the choir all 4 years. Also sang in the Massed choir at PUC 2 years as a Jr. and Sr. in academy and then 2 years as a student at PUC. All 4 years, we sang the Messiah, with Professor Greer directing.
I can still see his face!

Bossyboots

At Monterey Bay Academy boys dorm ... we liked "Sound the Battle Cry" "Onward Soldiers" ... Well I don't know the title but those are the words I remember.

I sang in three choral groups there including a group called Maranatha. It was great fun. Lots of fun travel.

I also sang in the choir at PUC and a quartet. What good memories. One person at PUC who could NOT sing was Morris Vendon. But, his preaching made up for it.

Once I got to Loma Linda ... I dropped the fun and got serious with the books.

Where can I get those old hymns on CD? For some reason they have been playing in my head for a while.

Sound the battle cry! See, the foe is nigh;
Raise the standard high for the Lord;
Gird your armor on, stand firm every one;
Rest your cause upon His holy Word.

Refrain:
Rouse, then, soldiers, rally round the banner,
Ready, steady, pass the word along;
Onward, forward, shout aloud, “Hosanna!”
Christ is Captain of the mighty throng.

Strong to meet the foe, marching on we go,
While our cause we know, must prevail;
Shield and banner bright, gleaming in the light,
Battling for the right we ne’er can fail.

O Thou God of all, hear us when we call,
Help us one and all by Thy grace;
When the battle’s done, and the vict’ry’s won,
May we wear the crown before Thy face.

Sing it out Redwood! hahahahahahahaha

pk

Can you see me marching to the beat?

Oh yeah!!!!!

pk

That song is in "Christ in song." Music and words by William F. Sherwin. If he is not an Adventist, there might be other sources for the music.

The (USA) ABC has many hymnals and songbooks on sale this month of March. Not just the SDA Hymnal and its many colors, bindings and sizes, but Christ in Song, He is Our Song, Advent Youth Sing, and several other song books that we used as kids.

Last Sabbath, we dug out the old books in church and sang songs I hadn't sung for many years. Great!

As for CD's, there are CD's of the old songs available at the ABC, too... just not on sale. www.adventistbookcenter.com

Lastly, for my weekly dose of 'retro' music from the 60's and 70's, I listen to www.hymnsandfavorites.com. Gets me in the right frame for Sabbath, for sure.

I love some of those old hymns!

I also loved it when I found out that back in their day (100-200 years ago), they were considered the "new-fangled contemporary praise & worship songs" and condemned by the older and more conservative members. It was thought, in many churches, that the only appropriate form of worship music was the (even older) chant-style metrical psalms, with words exclusively from the Bible.

Our church choir sings a mix of old and new music.

I'll take this opportunity to put in a plug for an online copy of what is probably the oldest Adventist hymnal (probably more accurately called pre-Adventist or Millerite) - the "Millennial Harp" (1843).

Check out the previous forum thread here, with a link to the site:

Millennial Harp

aldona

Well ... I didn't see Take Three listed ... so I didn't book mark it.

I love those old hymns... they are still very much pretty modern in today's world.

They will never go out of fashion.

It is well with my Soul
He Hideth My Soul
My Jesus I love Thee
The 23rd Psalm



og

As a young adult in my thirties, I must say that hymns are fast becoming my means of escape from the noise of this world. I did not have much of an appreciation for them while growing up, but after going out in to the world to find what I thought was something better, it was the words of some of the hymns along with some contemperary Christian songs that the Lord used to call me back to himself. About four years ago I did a CD called Simply Hymn. Its a colection of the old hymns we sung when I was a boy. If you want to check it out you can visit my website at http://www.nevillepeter.com

My all time favorite is Whiter than Snow no maybe its on Christ the Solid Rock or maybe its my Jesus I love thee no I think its Take My Life and Let it be. As you can see I can't decide.

Good to have you on this forum Neville. Welcome, and I hope that you have a good experience on this forum. Your name did sound familiar, and when I checked out the link, I was right. I've seen you on 3ABN.

I know what you mean, many times driving you tend to what to holler at people that don't do what you think they should do, so I like listening to good up lifting christian music. That's for sharing and being apart of our family. Take care and have a great sabbath.

pk

A+

I very much appreciated hearing you on 3ABN I believe it was. Unless it was Hope.

It is so cool to have you on the Forum here. Hope you visit us often.

Neville!!! Thanks for the post! Hope to see more from you! I pray that you be blessed here and find a comfortable home among friends

Gail