Hymn Stories of the Twentieth CenturyHart, William J. (William John)
Religion
Hymn Stories of the Twentieth Century
Hart, William J. (William John)
Hymns, English -- History and criticism
The muted organ almost whispered “Rock of Ages” as parents knelt at home
under the sheltering arms of that other Father, whose heart had bled
with each thrust of the spear. “Let me hide myself in Thee” was the
message. Those parents do not care that it is a beautiful morning. It
makes no difference that the hands on the clock say that it is
seven-fifteen. “Simply to Thy cross I cling” was their solace.
And then the organ led in prayer, the prayer that filled the hearts of
the sons approaching the beachheads, and the parents in their
Gethsemane:
“O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be thou our guide while life shall last,
And our eternal home!”
For the first time voices joined the melody of the organ. Strong,
confident, courageous voices ringing forth the affirmation, “A Mighty
Fortress Is Our God.” And then the triumphant, trumpet-like tones of the
organ, sounding their notes of gratitude to the “God of our Fathers,”
whose strong arm is “our ever sure defense ... from war’s alarms, from
deadly pestilence.”
In that moment, I murmured a prayer of gratitude that my parents had
taught me the words of these hymns so that my thoughts had been led by
the organ melodies to my personal unlimited reserves, that represent the
rightful heritage of a child of God.
For my two children June 6, 1944, will soon have become another date to
learn from the pages of a history book. I cannot know when their H-Hour
will come. But I do know their reserves will make them more than
victorious because theirs is the greatest inheritance in the
universe—the “Faith of our Fathers.”
—_Charlotte A. Young in “The Christian Advocate,” June 29, 1944. Used
by permission._
“Our God is Marching On!”
“The most solemn day in American history,” was June 6, 1944, according
to one editor. This was known as “D day,” and was the day of the
invasion of the coast of Normandy by the Allied nations engaged in a
mighty and deadly struggle with Germany.
This day was anticipated for many weeks. It was known that the United
States and Great Britain would unite in striking the enemy at a season
and a place when and where the blow would be considered to be most
effective. Only a few statesmen and high-ranking military authorities,
however, knew in advance just when that day would come. One outstanding
aim, of course, was to surprise the enemy. A mighty military machine had
been built for the purpose; and, on the other hand, the enemy, in
ignorance of the secret of time and place, had done its utmost to mass
its forces and arrange its protective material where it was hoped that
they would be most effective.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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