6 A $13 box of memories

If they hadn’t been waxing the floors at the Meijer store, I would have missed this bargain. I had to detour through the retail clothing and house wares to get to the groceries. And there it was: a package of four choral CDs, “100 Hymns & Praise Classics.” So, for $13.00 I bought a box of memories.

Years ago we were in a Bible study group with a couple who recently sang a duet during the offertory at their church--one of these old wonderful hymns, “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” She has sung for many years in the choir, but no one knew her husband could sing. She is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, and has given up public performances, but the words learned as a child and sung many times allowed her to bless the misty-eyed congregation with her gift.

Every Protestant and many Catholics would recognize most of these hymns. Collectively these four disks may represent what many of us think of as “traditional” as we look back to communion and prayer services, revivals, hymn sings, religious holidays, and funerals, or even a softly playing religious radio station in Grandma‘s living room. “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name,” “To God be the Glory,” “Oh Worship the King,” “Amazing Grace,” “Trust and Obey,” “In the Garden,” and so forth. All public domain.

Some ye’s, thee’s and thou’s, lots of omniscience, adoration, worship and the Cross; yes, much about the cross and the blood. There are very few tunes I don’t know, and others with which I am familiar but are not a part of my hymn-memory, like “There is Power in the Blood” and “There is a Fountain” (I don’t recall these ever being sung in our tradition). Some are hand clapping, body swaying and toe tapping tunes, more likely to be sung by my southern family than my northern family. The more militant songs with “marching” “armor,” “battles” and “soldiers” were downplayed or ignored in our Anabaptist denomination.

Box of Memories, pt.2

I notice a lot of the tunes in this collection are danceable--the fox trot or the waltz--like “The Old Rugged Cross” and “Trust and Obey,” and I’m sure they raised some eyebrows when first introduced to the more conservative churches. Perhaps the older generation will always resist the “new songs” as too secular, or the devil’s music, just as my husband and I don’t enjoy today’s ear splitting Christian rock or hip hop.

As I listen to these hymns, I am briefly transported back to little Faith Lutheran in Forreston, Illinois with Pastor T.B. Hirsh and his wife, and to the old Church of the Brethren on Seminary Avenue in Mt. Morris. I can see my Sunday school teachers, Mrs. Green, Mrs. Bechtold and Mr. Kinsey, and Rev. Foster Statler who baptized me, all faithful servants of the Lord. I can see my Aunt and Uncle reading scriptures by candlelight at the Brethren Love Feast (communion service) and hear the a cappella four part harmony of “Just as I am.”

I can see my elderly father rise up out of his rocker, stand tall and strong and march around the living room to “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” which he requested for his funeral. I can hear my sister Joanne and my friend Sylvia playing these hymns on the church organ. I can see Mrs. Jasper singing “In the Garden” at Grandma W's funeral in 1963. I see my friends singing them in the dark around the fire at Camp Emmaus. Today I am able to sing along in the car or in the kitchen because as children we sang these hymns again and again, while learning to read music, squirming in church beside our parents, or performing in the junior choir.

Caution! Some freshly waxed floors may result in a flood of memories and a few tears.