542. The Lone Pilgrim
This song is known to many singers, and published in several
printed collections, as "The White Pilgrim.' Its authorship lias nut
been definitely settled. Flanders ct al. (NGMS) cite The Chris-
tian Harp (Newburyport, Massachusetts, 1858), in which it was
printed, for the statement that 'The White Pilgrim' was written by
the Reverend Jonathan Ellis. Ellis, they say, "was, on September
16, 1789, installed minister of the First Parish of Topsham, Maine;
later he was one of the original Board of Overseers of Bowdoin
College." Further, "Ellis' sacred ballad . . . was arranged in The
Christian Harp, to be sung to [the air of] Lily Dale. It was
printed without the music in The Golden Harp" (Oneida, New
York, 1857). Against this attribution of authorship is that of the
igii editor of The Sacred Harp, who attributes it to B. F. Wdiite,
of Georgia, the original compiler of that songbook. White wrote the
song "on the lone prairie in Texas," while standing "at the grave
of a friend who once lived in Georgia." (See Jackson SFSEA,
who prints a text of the song under the title of 'The Lone Pilgrim'
and cites the 191 1 Sacred Harp.) Hudson's FSM 209 version,
'The White Pilgrim,' has a headnote relating a romantic legend
about the origin of the song which accords with the Sacred Harp
account. Finally, the song appears in Tlie Southern Harmony and
Musical Companion (Philadelphia, 1847). compiled by William
Walker, of Spartanburg. South Carcdina, which antedates 77;^
Golden Harp, in which the Reverend Jonathan hdlis's ballad ap-
peared, by ten years. Until it is known whether Ellis's "The
White Pilgrim' was certainly composed by him, or, if that fact
cannot be verified, whether his text antedates The Sacred Harp and
The Southern Harmony texts, credit for audiorship must lie be-
tween him and White.
A
'The Lone Pilgrim.' Witli music. From Mr.s. Maude Minnisli Sutton:
comniunicati(jn undated. "The oldest religious song 1 renieiuher. ... I
do not remember much of it." One stanza.
1 came to a place where the lone pilgrim lay.
I pensively stood hy the tomb;
' See Luke 7:16-21.
600 X R T H CAROLINA FOLKLORE
When in a lone whisper I hyerd something say,
'How sweetly I rest here alone.'
From MS and notes in Dr. Brown's hand: "The Lone Pilgrim. 'B. F.
White, Arr. by Adger M. Pace." As sung by Mr. Eph Stamey, Alta-
niont, N. C, 14 July, 1940. This song has been printed, words and
music, in some of the old song-books ; included in Bells of Heaven,
James D. V'aughan, publr., Lawrenceburg, Tenn., 1930." This "B. F.
White," from The Bells of Heaven, evidently refers to B. F. White, of
Georgia, one of the compilers of The Sacred Harp, from which The
Bells of Heaven version was taken.
1 J came to the place where the lone pilgrim lay,
And pensively stood hy him [sic] tomh ;
When in a low whisper I heard something say,
'How sweetly he rests here alone.'
2 The tempest may howl and the loud thunders roll.
And gathering storms may arise ;
Yet calm are his feelings, at rest is his sottl.
The tears are all wiped from his eyes.
3 The cause of his Master propelled him from home ;
He bad[e] his companions farewell;
He blessed his dear children who for him now mourn —
In far distant regions they dwell.
4 He wandered an exile and stranger from home.
No kindred or relation nigh ;
He met the contagion and sank to his toml) ;
His soul flew to mansions on high.
5 O tell his companions and children most dear
To weep not for him now he's gone ;
The same hand that led him through scenes most severe
Has kindlv assisted him home.
---------------
542
The Lone Pilgrim
'The Lone Pilgrim.' Contributed by Mrs. Maude Minnish Sutton in 1921
or 1936; see notes in III 599. At least in its basic outlines F-479 is similar
to the present version and F-478. As Jackson (SFSEA 47) mentions,
quoting Miss Gilchrist (JFSS viii 77), this tune is identical with 'Braes
o' Balquhidder.' Cf. also Jackson's article in MQ xxii. No. 2, showing the
relationship of this tune with Stephen Foster's 'Linda Has Departed' and
NGMS 187.
F-477
came to a place where a lone pil - grim lay.
pen - sive - ly stood by the tomb; —
When low whis - per I hyerd some -thing
say, 'How- sweet - ly I rest here a - lone.'-
For melodic relationship cf. ***SFSEA 47.
Scale: Mode III. Tonal Center: c. Structure: abca^ (4,4,4,4). The tonal
center is the lowest tone.
A(I)
'The Lone Pilgrim.' Sung by Miss Jewell Robbins, Pekin, Montgomery
county. No date given. Although this version is considerably altered, it is
nevertheless closely related to F-477.
F-478
I came to a place where a lone — pil - grim lay,-
And I pensive - ly stood by the tomb; When
low whis - per I heard some-thing say, —
'How- sweetly rest here a - lone.'
For melodic relationship cf. ***SFSEA 47.
Scale: Mode III. Tonal Center: c. Structure: aba^a^ (2,2,2,2). The afi
is considerably more varied than a^, although it occurs before the latter.
The tonal center is the lowest tone.
'The Lone Pilgrim.' Sung by Ephraim Stamey, Altamont, Avery county,
July 14, 1940. Our melody is closely related to that of F-475 and F-477,
although the tonal material is not entirely the same.
F-479
I came to the place where the lone pil - grim lay,
And- pen - sive - ly stood by -him tomb; When
low whis - per heard some-thing say,
'How — sweet - ly he rests here a lone,'-
For melodic relationship cf. ***SFSEA 47.
Scale: Tetratonic (4). Tonal Center: c. Structure: aba^a^ (4,4,4,4). Here,
too, a2 is more varied than a^ although it occurs before the latter. The
tonal center is the lowest tone.