Monday, August 20, 2007

Songs of Victory


Another oul hymn book story.

I bought a copy of "Songs of Victory" years ago in Causeway Books in Bushmills. It's a wee blue/green paperback. Like "Redemption Songs" it was published by Pickering & Inglis and has no date. I'd guess by the style of the typesetting it's probably 1920s/1930s again.

I tend to buy books, set them on the shelf, and then "rediscover" them some time later. Well, just after our second CD "Sangs O Bairns an Hame" came out, I picked up "Songs of Victory" to have a closer look at it. Well...

It had been owned by M Peacock, Moat Road, Ballymena. But the best bit was the inside back cover - there was a list of Sunday School choruses written in faint pencil, in that graceful handwriting that today's generation could never achieve.

In the list of maybe 15 or 20 choruses were 2 that we had just recorded! They are "Jesus Is My Heart's Fond Love" and "Come Awa the Noo My Freens".

The others are:

- He is a Friend of Mine
- Although the Sky be Dark
- Joy Bells Ringing in My Heart
- Joy Bells Ringing in My Soul Today
- I am Going Home To G.L.O.R.Y.
- He's the One I Love At Morning
- Carry Your Bible With You
- God Has Blotted Them Out
- Blotted Out, Blotted Out
- I'm Living On The Mountain
- Wide Wide as the Ocean
- Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest Name i Know
- For I'm So Happy, So Very Happy
- Walking With Jesus By His Side I Stay
- I Have A Friend Who Loves Me
- Why Not, Why Not
- J.E.S.U.S. Yes Jesus is My Friend

80-odd years ago there was a wee Sunday School in Ballymena singin their hearts out to choruses which are mostly now long-forgotten. But a wheen o them hae stood the test o time!

So, as usual, we're no daein ocht new ava - it's aa oul. "'Tis old, yet ever new..."

3 comments:

Stephen Jamison said...

Nice find Mark.
Reminds me of when my Granny died ( on my Fathers side )and we found her old family Bible. What a treasure of dates recording births, marriages and deaths for the whole family circle. Every family should have a Bible like that! I believe this wee province is still here today in spite of all its been through because of God's people reading His Word and singing His praise.
SO KEEP AT IT!!!
athamestephen.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Is it just me or does the soldier on the cover look a bit Cromwellian? CG

Mark said...

Crawford,
Yes, I think so too. Perhaps a product of its age. I have some childrens sunday school and bible story books from the 20s with illustrations that look like they're still fighting the crusades!