Center For Church Music, Songs & Hymns

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Some year ago there was a movie that included a restaurant scene. The owner was wiping the counter and complaining to a customer about the crooked politicians in his town. Another customer, who had recently been nearly destroyed for opposing corruption in the same town, asked if the owner had voted in the last election. "Nope, too busy," was his reply. "Then shut up and stay shut up!" the man expostulated.

Caustic, perhaps even rude – but true. "If you have no will to ...

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Some year ago there was a movie that included a restaurant scene. The owner was wiping the counter and complaining to a customer about the crooked politicians in his town. Another customer, who had recently been nearly destroyed for opposing corruption in the same town, asked if the owner had voted in the last election. "Nope, too busy," was his reply. "Then shut up and stay shut up!" the man expostulated.

Caustic, perhaps even rude – but true. "If you have no will to change it, you have no right to criticize it." How can believers do that? One answer has already been given – vote. By one vote Texas was admitted to the Union: by one vote Hitler won leadership of the German Nazi Party; and by one vote the U.S. House of Representatives elected Thomas Jefferson as President. Your vote does make a difference!

Also, get involved. Is there some board in your community that would profit from your expertise and concern? There must be some child who would benefit from your tutoring, mentoring and attention. Send letters and emails to your newspaper and government officials, they really do make a difference. Even picking up litter from a public park or parking lot shows that you care for your community.

And most importantly, pray. Although not in the Bible, the familiar words of Tennyson are true: "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice rise like a fountain … day and night…" Perhaps Tennyson had been inspired by the God-inspired words of James 5:13, "The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective."" Begin by using these two hymns: pray for our country and for those who protect her.

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In 1893, Katharine Lee Bates, a noted English professor at Wellesley College in Boston, went to Colorado Springs, Colorado to teach a summer course. Enroute, she stopped at Niagara Falls, where she was awe-inspired by its beauty. She traveled on, stopping at The Columbian Exposition in Chicago, which celebrated the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of America. Here she experienced the man-made spectacle of the fair, at which the ice-cream cone, the hot dog and the Ferris wheel ...

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In 1893, Katharine Lee Bates, a noted English professor at Wellesley College in Boston, went to Colorado Springs, Colorado to teach a summer course. Enroute, she stopped at Niagara Falls, where she was awe-inspired by its beauty. She traveled on, stopping at The Columbian Exposition in Chicago, which celebrated the 400^th anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of America. Here she experienced the man-made spectacle of the fair, at which the ice-cream cone, the hot dog and the Ferris wheel were introduced, along with the other rides and exhibits. Miss Bates had an adventuresome spirit, and she relished the opportunity to see and do whatever was offered.

That summer she joined a tourist group traveling by mule-drawn wagon to the top of Pike’s Peak. It was a long journey, but she was thrilled by the vistas that were open to her along the way and appreciated seeking out every new flower, tree, animal and bird that she saw. The last section of the ascent was by mule and she was very tired when she reached the top. However, at the top she was rejuvenated. In a letter to a friend she said:

Miss Bates had learned from childhood to always carry a notebook and pencil with her. So, as she sat near the top of Pike’s Peak, she picked up her notebook and started writing down phrases as they came to her. Several weeks later, she picked up the notebook to recall what she felt as she looked down at the world from the top of Pike’s Peak. She felt the words she had written did not adequately express what she had witnessed. Nevertheless, she rewrote her poem, then sent it to a magazine for consideration.

The Congregationalist opted to publish her "America, the Beautiful," in its July 4, 1895 edition. Most magazines at that time published poetry, but few of those poems have made any lasting impact. This poem generated hundreds of letters of response from readers. One man sent the Congregationalist a melody he had written to go with the poem.

Other magazines and newspapers from all over the United States reprinted the poem, inspiring more musicians to write melodies. By 1900 there were at least 75 different tunes for the poem, but none had any staying power. It seemed the poem was more powerful read than sung.

However, in 1904 a Baptist preacher, Clarence A. Barbour determined that words so spiritual and inspired needed a tune that was also inspired, not simply written. He turned to his library of Christian songbooks to find a melody that would fit. He found Samuel Ward’s hymn tune MATERNA and realized he had found it. It was as though they had been written at the same time and inspired by the same vision.

Miss Bates rewrote her poem in 1904, in her words "trying to make the phraseology more simple and direct." The new version first appeared in the Boston Evening Transcript, November 19, 1904.

Miss Bates lived long enough to see her poem become the best-loved patriotic hymn. Few people know, however, that she did not make a single claim for song royalties, nor did Samuel Ward’s family, for the use of his tune. They each felt the song was inspired by God and therefore a gift from God to America.

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