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Beautiful City Called Heaven/ There's A Beautiful City Called Heaven
Public Domain Old-Time, Bluegrass Gospel; Words and music from two public domain gospel songs: The Pearly White City 1902; There’s No Disappointment In Heaven 1914
ARTIST: The Virginia Dandies recorded "There's A Beautiful City" in 1931; Words and music from two public domain gospel songs: The Pearly White City 1902; There’s No Disappointment In Heaven 1914
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel;
DATE: Virginia Dandies; First Recorded by Virginia Dandies on Crown in NYC "There's A Beautiful City" in 1931
RECORDING INFO: Beautiful City Called Heaven
Virginia Dandies on Crown in NYC "There's A Beautiful City" in 1931
OTHER NAMES: "There's a Beautiful City Called Heaven"
SOURCES: Meade
NOTES: 3/4 time; The Gospel song, "There's a Beautiful City Called Heaven" was arranged by Walter Smith of Virginia Dandies and recorded on Crown in NYC in 1931. It's a combination of two public domain gospel songs: The Pearly White City 1902; There’s No Disappointment In Heaven 1914. Meade titles it "Beautiful City Called Heaven"
THE PEARLY WHITE CITY- Words & Music: Arthur F. Ingler 1902
Hebrews 11:8-10
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
There’s a holy and beautiful city
Whose Builder and Ruler is God;
John saw it descending from Heaven,
When Patmos, in exile, he trod;
Its high, massive wall is of jasper,
The city itself is pure gold;
And when my frail tent here is folded,
Mine eyes shall its glory behold.
In that bright city, pearly white city,
I have a mansion, a harp, and a crown;
Now I am watching, waiting, and longing,
For the white city that’s soon coming down.
No sin is allowed in that city
And nothing defiling or mean;
No pain and no sickness can enter,
No crepe on the doorknob is seen;
Earth’s sorrows and cares are forgotten,
No tempter is there to annoy;
No parting words ever are spoken,
There’s nothing to hurt or destroy.
In that bright city, pearly white city,
I have a mansion, a harp, and a crown;
Now I am watching, waiting, and longing,
For the white city that’s soon coming down.
No heartaches are known in that city,
No tears ever moisten the eyes;
There’s no disappointment in Heaven,
No envy and strife in the sky;
The saints are all sanctified wholly,
They live in sweet harmony there;
My heart is now set on that city,
And some day its blessings I’ll share.
In that bright city, pearly white city,
I have a mansion, a harp, and a crown;
Now I am watching, waiting, and longing,
For the white city that’s soon coming down.
My loved ones are gathering yonder,
My friends too are passing away,
And soon I shall join their bright number,
And dwell in eternity’s day;
They’re safe now in glory with Jesus,
Their trials and battles are past.
They overcame sin and the tempter,
They’ve reached that fair city at last.
In that bright city, pearly white city,
I have a mansion, a harp, and a crown;
Now I am watching, waiting, and longing,
For the white city that’s soon coming down.
Info: "...I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God..." (Rev. 21:2)
A song which uses the language of Revelation to create a desire for the holy city, new Jerusalem, which John saw coming down from God is "The Pearly White City" (#382 in Sacred Selections for the Church). The text was written and the tune was composed both by Arthur F. Ingler, who was born in May of 1873 (some sources give the date of 1875) in the state of Pennsylvania. The 1900 Census listed Ingler as a "vocalist" living in Denver, CO. Obviously a musician, he copyrighted "The Pearly White City" in 1902. Also, he edited a couple of hymnbooks, Songs of the Blood-Washed in 1909 and Canaan Melodies in 1914. The 1920 Census shows Ingler as a preacher for the Nazarene Church at Tillamook, OR. The copyright for "The Pearly White City" was renewed in 1930 (some books give the date as 1929) and was later assigned to the Lillenas Publishing House. Ingler's death occurred in 1935. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, the song appeared in the 1963 Christian Hymnal (chorus only) edited by J. Nelson Slater; and the 1973 Great Inspirational Songs (in a 1960 arrangement by the editor) edited by Albert E. Brumley. Today it may be found in the 1971 Songs of the Church and the 1990 Songs of the Church 21st C. Ed. both edited by Alton H. Howard; the 1983 Church Gospel Songs and Hymns edited by V. E. Howard (not in original 1978 edition); and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand; in addition to Sacred Selections and the 2007 Sacred Songs of the Church edited by William D. Jeffcoat.
Ellis Crum in Sacred Selections made some changes in the chorus too. In the phrase "a mansion, a harp, and a crown," he replaced the word "harp" with "robe," as he eliminated all references to harps in various songs. However, the book of Revelation definitely mentions harps; if we can understand the figurative nature of the term in the book, we should be able to do the same thing in songs. Also, the original last line read, "For the white city that's soon coming down." This is one of Crum's changes that I think is beneficial, because the fact is that we do not know when these things will appear, whether soon or far off in the future. The coming down does not necessarily mean that heaven will literally come down to earth, but that in the vision the Lord brought it down for John to see and write about it. Understanding the figurative nature of his description in Revelation, we can still see that what John says, and what the song says based upon it, is intended to make us long for "The Pearly White City."
THERE’S NO DISAPPOINTMENT IN HEAVEN- Frederick M. Lehman, 1914
“The Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces.” Isaiah 25:8
Frederick M. Lehman (1868-1953) Words: Frederick M. Lehman, 1914; he wrote these words in Chicago, Illinois, while suffering financial reverses. Music: Frederick M. Lehman, harmony by his daughter Claudia L. Mays (1892-1973)
There’s no disappointment in Heaven,
No weariness, sorrow or pain;
No hearts that are bleeding and broken,
No song with a minor refrain.
The clouds of our earthly horizon
Will never appear in the sky,
For all will be sunshine and gladness,
With never a sob or a sigh.
Refrain: I’m bound for that beautiful city,
My Lord has prepared for His own;
Where all the redeemed of all ages
Sing “Glory!” around the white throne;
Sometimes I grow homesick for Heaven,
And the glories I there shall behold;
What a joy that will be when my Savior I see,
In that beautiful city of gold.
We’ll never pay rent for our mansion,
The taxes will never come due,
Our garments will never grow threadbare,
But always be fadeless and new,
We’ll never be hungry or thirsty,
Nor languish in poverty there,
For all the rich bounties of Heaven
His sanctified children will share.
Refrain
There’ll never be crepe on the doorknob,
No funeral train in the sky;
No graves on the hillsides of glory,
For there we shall nevermore die.
The old will be young there forever,
Transformed in a moment of time;
Immortal we’ll stand in His likeness,
The stars and the sun to outshine.
Refrain
THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL CITY CALLED HEAVEN- Virginia Dandies 1931
There’s a holy and beautiful city
Whose Builder and Ruler is God;
John saw it descending from Heaven,
When Patmos, in exile, he trod;
Its high, massive wall is of jasper,
The city itself is pure gold;
And when my frail tent here is folded,
Mine eyes shall its glory behold.
CHORUS: I'm bound for that beautiful city
My Lord has prepared for his own,
where all the redeemed of all ages
Sing glory around the white throne
Sometimes I grow homesick for heaven
And the glories I there shall behold
What a joy that will be
When my Saviour I see
In that beautiful city of gold
No sin is allowed in that city
And nothing defiling or mean;
No pain and no sickness can enter,
No crepe on the doorknob is seen;
Earth’s sorrows and cares are forgotten,
No tempter is there to annoy;
No parting words ever are spoken,
There’s nothing to hurt or destroy. CHORUS:
No heartaches are known in that city,
No tears ever moisten the eyes;
There’s no disappointment in Heaven,
No envy and strife in the sky;
The saints are all sanctified wholly,
They live in sweet harmony there;
My heart is now set on that city,
And some day its blessings I’ll share. CHORUS:
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