|
Soldier of the Cross/Am I A Soldier of the Cross?
Old-Time Spiritual based on Isaac Watts 1709;
ARTIST: From Old Plantation Hymns by William Eleazar Barton (Boston, etc.: Lamson, Wolffe and Company, 1899)
http://books.google.com/books?id=aqcNAAAAIAAJ&pg=PP13&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel
DATE: 1709; First Recorded
RECORDING INFO: Am I A Soldier Of The Cross?
Richard Allen Singers "Am I a Soldier of the Cross?"
Zion Travelers 1947 a Atlas label, "Am I a Soldier of the Cross?"
The Indian's Hymn Related to - Am I a Soldier of the Cross
Allison, J. L.. Morris, Alton C. / Folksongs of Florida, Univ. Florida, Bk (1950), p168/# 90 [1934-39]
OTHER NAMES: "Soldier Of The Cross,"
SOURCES: Folk Index;
NOTES: The hymn “Am I A Soldier Of The Cross?” was written by English-born Isaac Watts in 1709. A spiritual version is found in Old Plantation Hymns by William Eleazar Barton (Boston, etc.: Lamson, Wolffe and Company, 1899). It uses the first two lines of each of Watt's verses with a Leader singing solo and a group response; the last line is sung in parts by the group.
Am I a Soldier of the Cross? was arranged by African-American Judge Jackson and appeared in the color sacred harp in 1934.
Am I A Soldier Of The Cross?- Watts
(1) Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb?
And shall I fear to own His cause
or blush to speak His name?
(2) Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize
And sailed thru bloody seas?
(3) Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?
(4) Sure I must fight if I would reign:
Increase my courage, Lord;
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy word.
Watts earned his Doctor of Divinity and moved to London, where he became a minister. He grew tired of the Psalms other churches used as hymns and decided to write of his own. This was met with opposition, but soon his hymns became commonly used in nearly all churches. “ Am I A Soldier Of The Cross?” remains a popular hymn today.
Soldier Of The Cross- Old Plantation Hymns by William Eleazar Barton (Boston, etc.: Lamson, Wolffe and Company, 1899
[Solo] Am I a soldier of the cross? [Group] of the cross
[Solo] Am I a soldier of the cross? [Group] of the cross
[Group] Am I a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb?
2. Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease.
3. Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
4.Sure I must fight if I would reign,
Increase my courage, Lord.
From "The Southern Workman, Volumes 23-24 - Page 46 Hampton Institute - African Americans - 1894" come this account of how the old hymn was sung in African American churches in 1894:
"It is an experience in life to watch the taking of such a contribution, when alter the fervent appeal of the minister, the "tables of the money-chafers" are set in order in front of the pulpit, each under charge of two deacons who count and sort the money as it comes in. Some one strikes up a hymn In which the congregation join in fervently, and at once the aisles are filled with people of all sorts and conditions, pressing lorward toward the tables to deposit their offerings.
Bowed backs and toil-hardened hands among the older people prove that life has not been to them an experience of light work and high wages. Here and there a well-dressed, well-to-do man or woman comes forward and places a halfdollar or even a dollar bill upon the table, but the great majority have to feel a long time to find anything larger than a five cent piece in their pockets. It is interesting to see how many children come forward with their pennies, bright-faced bright-eyed, comfortably dressed children,many of them; for the parents' years of toil have given to them a childhood so happy and bright that, they do not even know what the past has been, and they can enjoy the luxury of giving to other persons than themselves with hearts free from actual experience of the suffering they are trying to relieve. They are singing the old hymn:
"Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease
While others fought to win the prize
And sa'lei through bloody seas."
|