Religion- Songs & Ballads Overton Co.
[Some individual texts for songs in this chapter are attached to this page on the left hand column. Links from this page may be done at a later date.
R. Matteson 2014]
CHAPTER V- RELIGION
In this chapter the songs savor of the old time religious ideas, namely, those of faith, hope, warning and admonition.
One fragment was found which shows the Christian triumphant as he sees the end of his journey:
I saw a wayworn traveler,
In tattered garments clad.
And struggling up the mountain,
His strength was almost gone.
Yet he shouted as he journeyed,
“Deliverance will come!
Then palms of victory,
Crowns of glory, I shall wear." [1]
This fragment seems to retain some of the flavor of "Pilgrim's Progress." [see complete text below]
From the group of eighteen songs in this chapter eleven of them, including the Mormon song, express faith and hope, six have warning and admonition as their purpose and one is a plea for the one who is down.
Perhaps the reason for the older ideas being evident in these songs is that the newer ideas are expressed in the hymn books of the day. No doubt these are all relics of the past.
CONTENTS
(Wayworn Traveler) [this page]
Lonesome Valley
One Day Nearer Home
Can't Feel at Home Anymore
Listening All the Night Long
Little Feet Be Careful
Diamonds in the Rough
Shine on Me
God Gave Noah the Rainbow Sign
The Royal Telephone
The Two Rulers
Two Young Men
The Old Woman and the Devil [Farmer's Curst Wife]
V-I-C-T-O-R-Y
Be kind to a Man When He's Down
1. Wayworn Traveler (Psalms of Victory/Deliverance Will Come)
John B. Matthias
1. I saw a wayworn traveler,
In tattered garments clad,
And struggling up the mountain,
It seemed that he was sad;
His back was laden heavy,
His strength was almost gone,
Yet he shouted as he journeyed,
“Deliverance will come!”
Refrain:
Then palms of victory,
Crowns of glory,
Palms of victory
I shall wear.
2 The summer sun was shining,
The sweat was on his brow,
His garments worn and dusty,
His step seemed very slow;
But he kept pressing onward,
For he was wending home,
Still shouting as he journeyed,
“Deliverance will come!” [Refrain]
3 The songsters in the arbor
That stood beside the way
Attracted his attention,
Inviting his delay:
His watchword being “Onward!”
He stopped his ears and ran,
Still shouting as he journeyed,
“Deliverance will come!” [Refrain]
4 I saw him in the evening;
The sun was bending low;
He’d overtopped the mountain,
And reached the vale below:
He saw the Golden City—
His everlasting home—
And shouted loud, “Hosanna!
Deliverance will come!” [Refrain]
5 While gazing on that city,
Just o’er the narrow flood,
A band of holy angels came from the throne of God;
They bore him on their pinions
Safe o’er the dashing foam,
And joined him in his triumph:
Deliverance had come! [Refrain]
6 I heard the song of triumph
They sang upon that shore,
Saying, “Jesus has redeemed
Us to suffer nevermore!”
Then casting his eyes backward
On the race which he had run,
He shouted loud, “Hosanna!
Deliverance has come!” [Refrain]