Christ Returneth (It May Be at Morn) -- H. L. Turner

 

His poetry includes at least this one called “Christ Returneth”, and he may be the same 19^th Century figure known as ‘Colonel’. Was the poet Henry Lathrop Turner the author who looked into some ancient mysterious words, and even at portrayals of this event in art (like this etching that depicts the Rapture, by 17^th/18^th Century artist Jan Luyken), and offered his own words on the subject of Christ’s reappearance? The Colonel chose not to delve into all the various permutations of how the God-Man’s reemergence might occur, for who can say? It’s safe to presume that he might have been reading what a biblical writer named Paul had to say on the subject, because none of us mortals, at least not while here on earth, have observed such an event; so, we all wonder, and even dread, what the end of us, and of all humankind, will entail. It seems from what Henry wrote, that he was not in fear of this event, however. Why was that?  

 

We know a little about Colonel Henry Lathrop Turner. One can guess, based on his birth in 1845 and the rank associated with his name, that Henry served in the military, possibly during the latter stages of the American Civil War; one source indicates he was part of a unit called the ‘Old First Infantry’. Was it during his service that Henry became a poet, giving him a perspective on eternity’s approach that helped spur his penned words about Christ’s second coming? This Ohio native eventually lived and died in the Chicago, Illinois area, but little else is notable about him personally. His ode about Christ’s return was first used in an 1878 hymnal compiled by the well-known Ira Sankey, who happened to have served in the Civil War himself. So, was there a connection between these two military veterans that helped prompt ‘Christ Returneth’? Turner’s verses, particularly verses 3 and 4, suggest he was inspired by Paul’s message to a group of people called Thessalonians (1 Thess. 4), and the exhilarating prospect of Jesus calling out as He descends in order to awaken those who will go to heaven with Him.  What time of day, or what exact era in earth’s history will God choose to do this? Turner does not wade into this debate, which was as unsettled in his own time as it still is today. From the eyes of someone who’d seen a battlefield, would certainty about the time of day or what year God intends to consummate our planet’s destiny matter? One can imagine that Turner, and other veterans like him, felt that being prepared at any time was their only concern. Henry had likely seen enough violence on earth that he welcomed the awesome return of the Righteous One, who will usher in ultimate justice. The contrast between what Henry had witnessed already and what he could envision was undoubtedly what prompted three hallelujahs in his poem’s refrain.     

 

Henry Turner did not need any other experiences to summarize what he wanted to impart to his readers. Did he and others suffer from battlefield fatigue, what we know of today as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? Someone might ask what is the best remedy for PTSD. We know not whether Henry received personal counselling, or sat in a circle sharing with other like-sufferers, or really if he had the need for these kinds of therapies. We can only imagine that at one point in his life, he was imagining something that all of us will see and experience someday. For some, it will be terrifying, the most extreme PTSD episode they will ever face. And, it will never end or become less horrifying. Can you conceive that one – never-ending stress, forever? I think I’d rather be in the spot Henry was occupying, emotionally – welcoming that episode, and exulting in its coming. Where are you, today?

 

 

   

See more information on the song in these sources: The Complete Book of Hymns – Inspiring Stories About 600 Hymns and Praise Songs by William J. Petersen and Ardythe Petersen, Tyndale House Publishers, 2006; Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions by Kenneth W. Osbeck, Kregel Publications, 1990.   

 

See very brief reference to the author’s identity here: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/t/u/r/n/turner_hl.htm

 

And, here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/112450799/henry-lathrop-turner

 

Also see this link, showing all four original verses and the refrain: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/c/h/r/i/s/t/r/christre.htm

 

See here for a discussion of the end-time known as the Rapture, about which the author wrote: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture

 

See here for description of the military unit in which the author apparently served: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)

 

See here for biography of the hymnal editor who published the author’s song: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/s/a/n/k/sankey_id.htm

 

Let's Just Praise the Lord -- Gloria and William J. Gaither

 

This 30-something couple was surprised by what they encountered one evening along the East Coast of the U.S. at a concert in 1972. That’s probably because Bill and Gloria Gaither had been told, behind the scenes of the stage that they occupied that night, that this crowd would likely be rather cool. So the reaction the Gaithers had to the unexpected events of that evening was to tell future crowds “Let’s Just Praise the Lord”, rather than allow admiration for their presentation to morph into acclaim for themselves. The words Gloria first suggested they adopt for the song’s message turned out to be not just for that one occasion, but more or less a reflective notion that they wanted to suggest to their audiences. ‘In what circumstances should I commend His work in my life?’, they might ask you and me to consider. That’s a question that Bill and Gloria might tell you is more important to answer than any other.

 

The Gaithers had already had some life experiences that would enlighten their musical praise toward God when they sang on stage in 1972, but the many years since that night have deepened their appreciation of the words that He gave them to sing on a bus following that night’s concert. They sang other songs that night that had stories which resonated with audience members – ones like ‘Because He Lives’ and ‘There’s Just Something About That Name’ (see other entries in this blog for those stories); and ‘The King is Coming’ (see Gloria’s book referenced below for this story). Maybe it was the background of those stories that helped Bill and Gloria stay humble, and be able to draw upon a deeper truth as they fought the temptation to drink in the crowd’s praise for them at the end of the concert. They didn’t want to disparage the enthusiastic believers who cheered their talent, but they felt a need to deflect what the crowd was expressing. So, aboard their bus after the concert’s conclusion, Bill said something that he probably didn’t realize, in that moment, would become the first verse of ‘Let’s Just Praise…’. It was Gloria who captured the words emerging from Bill’s mouth, and recorded them – words that would thank listeners for their reactions to the music, but redirect the praise toward the Giver of all good things. And, as Gloria shared some 35 years later in her book, not only the good things, but also the difficult things, can be avenues for finding and appreciating Him in one’s life. She shares that God’s processes are not mere methods to get us to a goal, but that the processes we meet in life are the goal. He uses these events to ‘crowd us into a relationship with Him’. So, the word ‘just’ in their song is not an accident. When the tough episodes especially envelop us, what else can one do, except ‘just’ praise the Lord?  

 

Were Bill and Gloria thinking of the ancient believer Job (see Job 1:20-22), perhaps even subliminally, when they pondered what to convey in ‘Let’s Just Praise…’? He’s there, but when He’s silent, that’s when it is hardest to cling to Him. Gloria says her perspective – and yours and mine, too – must broaden before we can acquire the endurance needed in the hardest times. It seems that Bill and Gloria had the ‘Let’s Just Praise the Lord’ experience in a good time that also helped them see the ‘just’ part of praising Him. When I’m feeling bereft in a valley, what else have I got except to look forward to Him and Glory? Alternately, how often might I feel I’m on the mountaintop, and that things look pretty awesome here on Earth, and so who needs Him? Is it harder for you to see Him in the valley or on the mountaintop? The Gaithers say He’s in both places.  

 

 

The primary source for the song’s story is the book Something Beautiful – The Stories Behind a Half-Century of the Songs of Bill and Gloria Gaither, by Gloria Gaither, Faith Words of Hachette Book Group, New York, 2007.

See the song story here also: https://dianaleaghmatthews.com/lets-just-praise-the-lord/#.YPqrT0ApCUk

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gaither_(gospel_singer)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Gaither

 

Let Us Break Bread Together -- Anonymous

 

They were gathering in the morning for this occasion, and they were probably slaves somewhere in 19^th Century southeastern America, perhaps as specific an area as shown here (see map). That they had transported some of what they sang from their African roots is also possible for this group of worshippers. We know not their names, but when they jointly said “Let Us Break Bread Together”, it marked the part of their day that helped them endure. If they were like others of their heritage and their status in life, reaching outside of themselves for strength was not really a casual affair. And yet it was an option, embodied in the first two words of what they said, in contrast to the enforced state that characterized most of their day. The ‘Lord’ to whom they sang was quite a different master than the earthly one they saw every day.

 

The history of 19^th Century American slavery certainly needs no further exposition here to put into context why such a song as “Let Us Break Bread Together” emerged.  (See below for link to information on African-American Spirituals.) Nevertheless, there are several specifics about the song’s origin that help us 21^st Century travelers see more than we would at first glance. One source indicates that the West African group known as the Gullah/Geechee people who became slaves in the American Southeastern coast in the colonial period (1700s) – Carolinas, Georgia, and northeastern Florida (see map) – were the song’s creators. Other sources indicate alternately that slaves in Virginia first sang “Let Us…”. Were the people also reaching back to Islamic West African roots when they sang about ‘facing the rising sun’? And, some suggest that the group singing about being ‘on our knees’ were doing this activity stealthily, perhaps in conflict with the wishes of their owners. The most commonly held assumptions include the idea that this was a communion song, hence the ‘break(ing) bread’ (v.1) and ‘drink(ing) wine’ are references to the elements shared in memory of Jesus’ body; certainly, that is how the hymn is used today, but whether that is too narrow a focus at its inception is also possible. Some things are certain: those who gathered wanted to be together to acclaim God (v.3), to seek His mercy (refrain), and to eat and drink amongst each other (vv. 1-2), whether that was communion or a regular meal. Was that all? That they did this often enough, and that the words they sang survived for centuries, speaks to something else that we can presume persuaded their singing: they drew strength from His power when they lifted their voices.

 

The Unseen, as He is for all us earthbound folk, is a great hope that defies the trouble I’m in today. I need some source of transport beyond where I am or where I see myself going physically. And so, looking up is not only spiritually comforting, it’s logical. Admit it. Or, do you find solace in an uncertain future, or merely shrug your shoulders at everyday frustrations? No, you don’t, and neither do I. I need to know my life will not descend into nothing-ness. That’s what I think I might have been mulling over as a slave, gritting my teeth at the harsh nature of my life. It’s gonna be better – even glorious --  someday. That’s why I gird my spirit daily with others – break bread together, and look upward, and call out to Him.     

 

   

See more information on the song in these sources: The Complete Book of Hymns – Inspiring Stories About 600 Hymns and Praise Songs by William J. Petersen and Ardythe Petersen, Tyndale House Publishers, 2006; Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions by Kenneth W. Osbeck, Kregel Publications, 1990.   

 

Also see this link, showing all three original verses: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/l/e/t/u/letusbbt.htm

 

See here for history of the song: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-let-us-break-bread-together

 

See here also: https://hymnary.org/text/let_us_break_bread_together_on_our_knees

 

See here for broader information on this genre of music: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirituals