FORBIDDEN HYMNS #1 “Great Spirit, Listen to the Red Man’s Wail!” (#77, 1927) For this week’s Music Monday offering, we thought that we would try something different, given that we posted a video of the hymn “Be Still My Soul” for yesterday’s Sunday-service review. Thanks to the fascinating information contained in several articles that Brother Goddard recently shared with our group, we decided to delve deeper into the history of the ever-changing LDS hymnal and obtained, via eBay, a copy of the official 1927 LDS hymn book (one of only four hymnals that have been officially approved by the First Presidency, the others being published in 1835, 1948, and of course our current hymnal, from 1985). As we have mentioned before, one of the more interesting aspects of the LDS Church is that it is both a universal religion and the faith of a specific people in a specific place — i.e., the Deseret colonists, under the leadership of the mighty Brigham Young. Many of the richest aspects of the Church have to do with that unique, local identity. Relations with the Native Americans figured prominently in the early history of the Church, and several Indian-related hymns that no longer appear in the current hymnal graced the pages of earlier LDS hymn collections. One of the most fascinating of these is a hymn titled “Great Spirit, Listen to the Red Man’s Wail!” (#77 in the 1927 hymnal). As you can see from its lyrics (transcribed below), it is in fact a narrative hymn, one that tells a compelling story. The first verses are voiced by a Native American, the second set by an angel from God. I know of no recordings of this hymn, but the sheet music still exists. It would be quite interesting to hear it performed. (BTW, no, this composition is not actually forbidden, merely deleted from the current hymnal — but calling it a forbidden hymn does make it sound more intriguing, doesnt it?) “GREAT SPIRIT, LISTEN TO THE RED MAN’S WAIL!” “Great Spirit, listen to the red man’s wail! Thou hast the power to help him in his woe, Thy mighty arm was never known to fail; Great Chieftain, save him from the palefaced foe. “His broad, green hunting-grounds, where buff’loes roam, His bubbling streams, where finny thousands play, The waving prairies, once his happy home, Are fast departing to the Christian’s sway. “With cursed firewater’s stupefying flame, (Which lulled the senses of our chiefs to rest) And soft-mouthed words, the cheating paleface came And stole our lands and drove us to the west. “Our grey-haired med’cine men, so wise and good, Are all confounded with the dread disease, Which ne’er was known to flow in Indian blood Till white men brought it from beyond the seas. “And shall our nation once so great, decay? Our children perish, and our chieftains die? Great Spirit, help! Thy glorious power display, Subvert our foes! O, hear the Indian’s cry,” SECOND PART The red man ceased, and trembled with delight, For, brighter far than the meridian sun, A dazzling vision burst upon his sight— A glorious angel from the Holy One! “Your prayers are heard,” he said, “and I am here To tell you what will shortly come to pass; A day of joy for all your tribes is near, Your foes shall perish like the sun-scorched grass. “The Holy Book your fathers hid is found, Your ‘Mormon’ brothers will the truth reveal; Though troubles press, and all seems black around, Obey their words—your soul’s deep wounds will heal. “Not many moons shall pass away, before The curse of darkness from your skin shall flee; Your ancient beauty will the Lord restore, And all your tribes shall dwell in unity. “The arts of peace shall flourish, ne’er to die; The war-whoop and the deadly strife shall cease; Disease shall then depart, and every sigh, And health and life shall flow in every breeze. “Farewell! remember I was once on earth And served the Lord of Hosts on this fair land, Observed His sacred precepts from my birth, And now I dwell in bliss at His right hand.” The Angel left, and darkness came again, But light and joy dwelt in the Indian’s soul. Oh! may the day soon dawn for Ephraim’s reign, When all the “glorious land” he shall control. Charles W. Penrose Evan Stephens
Posted on: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 14:54:31 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015