He was completely focused on the future. In the moments that he used to think about the time and place where he planned to be “Just Over in the Gloryland”, James Warren Acuff thought about more than the Georgetown, Texas hill country (see the map-picture) where he lived. Much more. Perhaps it was all of those church gatherings with like believers that spurred his joyful poetry about the people with whom he planned to spend that future. In his mind, James could also see and hear throngs singing, not unlike the crowds with whom he’d sung on numerous occasions, and so he embraced that vision in his poetry too. The surroundings and the place where he’d reside, no doubt more magnificent than he could describe, were also among James’ thoughts, but the biggest boon to this future was the Giver of that place. This Giver was someone that James mentioned throughout his poem. You can probably guess who James most longed to see.
James Acuff was 42 when his Gloryland vision-song was written and-or published in 1906, and he had already done enough in his native Texas to think of that as a stepping stone to his next abode. (By the way, he apparently was not related to Roy Acuff, the famous Country-Western singer from Tennessee who was born almost 40 years after James). He evidently was well regarded among the churches of the central Texas area as a singer and song writer, whose God-given talents were often solicited for large meetings, something that James was ready to answer eagerly for nearly 50 years. One can imagine that James felt these occasions were a foretaste of what he imagined in his heart and mind would crown his life and the lives of those with whom he sang. This kind of thrill just would not end, as he saw it. To ‘…sing God’s praise’ (v.2), including with a ‘…shout’ and ‘glad hosannas’ (v.4) was the language of where James and his spiritual family would be, so best to practice speaking in this tongue before one arrived there, right? James did not limit his musical gift to standing before a crowd to urge praises, or to writing a few hymns for use on those occasions. He also played a role in collecting and publishing songs in hymnals, through a company in Austin, effectively multiplying hymn-singing beyond himself and the assemblies he personally led. Was this James’ way of further visualizing the countless multitude that would lift their voices in heaven, including ‘the happy angel band’ (refrain)? James also had no lingering doubts about who was responsible for this future, the God whom he lauded in every verse. ‘Savior’, ‘God’, ‘Lord’, ‘Christ, the Lord and King’, were the names of the creator and caretaker of this Gloryland that leapt off James’ tongue. We may not be aware of the fine details of the day or hours in which James put together the words and music about this ‘Gloryland’, but isn’t it obvious what stirred his heart?
He loved God, and he cherished the moments when he could join with others in songs toward the King above. Perhaps James included the word ‘Just’ in his song to remind those earthly strugglers that the heaven where all believers can journey is not far. We can guess that all those times that James and his friends gathered to sing might have included prayers for each other and the challenges faced every day, too. Someone is sick, perhaps severely; a job has been lost, and how do I take care of myself and my family? Other countless anxieties afflict us humans, even us believers who plan to inherit a glorified flesh. James was not immune to these same troubles. He happened to notice that the next place is just a little bit away, though. Can you see it, like James did?
See biography on author here: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/a/c/u/f/acuff_jw.htm
See all the verses and the refrain here: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/j/u/s/t/justover.htm
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