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Come All Dear Brethren
Shape note hymn; R. H. Davis & John S. Terry, 1869
ARTIST: Allison's Sacred Harp Singers 1928
SHEET MUSIC:
DATE: 1869; First recording Allison's Sacred Harp Singers 1928
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel
RECORDING INFO: Come All Dear Brethren/Heaven's My Home
Allison's Sacred Harp Singers 1928
OTHER NAMES: "Heaven's My Home"
RELATED TO:
SOURCES: Meade [Me III-D 103];
NOTES: "Come All Dear Brethren" best known as "Heaven's My Home" was recorded in 1928 by the Allison's Sacred Harp Singers and is the title of a reissue of their 30 recordings made in 1927-1928. Here' info about them:
CD notes: "Allison's Sacred Harp Singers must have seemed as much an anomaly in 1927 and 1928 — when they first recorded — as they would be today. The shape note singing on Heaven's My Home, after all, originated in 19th century churches. By the early 20th century, radio and records would broadcast more contemporary styles (the Grand Ole Opry first broadcast during the 1920s), making religious material with spare accompaniment seem slightly old-fashioned. But record companies, facing a slump, attempted to tap regional markets. This, surprisingly, included recording groups that drew their material from the shape note hymnbooks of yesteryear like The Sacred Harp (1844). After recording two apparently successful tracks for Gennett in Alabama (both tracks, "I'm a Long Time Traveling Away from Home" and "I Belong to This Band," are included), Allison's Sacred Harp Singers traveled to Richmond, IN, to record more material. Over the course of one day, May 1, 1928, the group recorded 30 songs, 19 of which are included on Heaven's My Home. While many contemporary listeners will find the four-note range — fa-sol-la-fa-sol-la-mi-fa — monotonous, these recordings offer a rare chance to hear versions of "Bound for Canaan," "Traveling Pilgrim," and the title track performed in the same manner as they would've been performed as far back as the early 1800s (save for the piano and organ accompaniment)."
This folk hymn was written/ arranged by R. H. Davis & John S. Terry in 1869. Several early hymns have the "Come, all my dear brethren, and help me to sing" line in them. A version appeared in the Feb. 1897 "The Randolph Toiler" newspaper, Wedowee, Randolph County, Alabama:
NEWSPAPER issue of Friday, February 5, 1897
He moved to Wedowee in the summer of 1894-95, and I did not have the pleasure
after his removal to be much in his company, but the few times that I did meet
him I felt I grasped the hand of a true friend and an upright and honest
man. In society, as in everything else, Billy was, with the people of his
acquaintance, a favorite. He was a great lover of vocal music and as I write
these lines it seems that I can almost hear his voice, now hushed in death, as
he sung in the days of his young manhood at old Cedron Church, his manly
cheeks aglow with health and his eyes sparking with innocent joy, the
following familiar lines:
"Come all my dear brethren and help me to sing,
I'm going to jesus who's heaven's great king,
Heaven's my home, heaven's my home!
I'm going to JKesus, for heaven's my home!"
Come All Dear Brethren/Heaven's My Home- Allison's Sacred Harp Singers 1928
Tune: R. H. Davis & John S. Terry, 1869 Words: R. H. Davis & J. S. Terry, 1869
Meter: 11s (11,11,11,11)
Come, all my dear brethren, and help me to sing,
I’m going to Jesus, He’s heaven’s great King.
He died to atone for the sins of the world;
His banner is flying, His sails are unfurled.
Chorus: Heav’n’s my home,
I’m going to Jesus, for heav’n’s my home.
While here in the valley of conflict I stay,
Oh give me submission, and strength as my day,
In all my afflictions to Thee would I come,
Rejoicing in hope of my glorious home.
(Chorus)
I long, dearest Lord, in Thy beauties to shine,
No more as an exile in sorrow to pine;
And in Thy dear image arise from the tomb,
With glorified millions to praise Thee at home.
(Chorus)
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