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Song: Battle Hymn of the Republic
1. Song: Battle Hymn of the Republic
When the song was sung at a rally attended by President Lincoln, he cried out with tears in his eyes, "Sing it again!" (GodTube.com)
Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910) wrote the "
Battle Hymn of the Republic" in 1861 at the outbreak of the American Civil War, being asked to write new words for "
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave" to the popular tune "
Glory, Hallelujah".
The tune and words soon spread to troops, slaves, prisoners, etc.
This is hymn #692 in the hymnal.
2. Words
Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910), New England.
Raised Episcopalian, became Unitarian.
Had great interest in political matters and social activism.
Advocate for abolitionism and woman's suffrage.
Known for prose and poetry.
Wrote "Battle Hymn of the Republic" in 1861 at the outbreak of the Civil War.
3. Context
In 1861, Julia Ward Howe heard soldiers singing "
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave" to the popular tune "
Glory, Hallelujah".
She was asked by visiting minister Dr. Clarke if she could not write more suitable words for the tune.
The next morning, she woke up inspired to write the "
Battle Hymn of the Republic".
4. Spreading the word
A Methodist minister/bishop C. C. McCable taught the song to the 122nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment (to which he was attached) and it spread from there to other troops, slaves, prisoners, etc.
When the song was sung at a rally attended by President Lincoln, he cried out with tears in his eyes, "Sing it again!" (GodTube.com)
5. Music
The tune came about from American camp meetings of the late 1700's and early 1800's as what was called
John Brown Song".
6. Camp meetings
Specialists in nineteenth-century American religious history describe camp meeting music as the creative product of participants who, when seized by the spirit of a particular sermon or prayer, would take lines from a preacher's text as a point of departure for a short, simple melody. The melody was either borrowed from a preexisting tune or made up on the spot. The line would be sung repeatedly, changing slightly each time, and shaped gradually into a stanza that could be learned easily by others and memorized quickly. (Wikipedia)
7. Verse 1
Mine eyes have seen the
glory of the
coming of the Lord;
he is trampling out the vintage
where the grapes of
wrath are stored;
he hath loosed the fateful
lightning of his
terrible swift sword;
His
truth is marching on.
8. Refrain
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
9. Verse 2
I have seen him in the
watchfires of a hundred circling camps,
they have builded him an
altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read his righteous
sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;
his day is marching on.
10. Refrain
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
11. Verse 3
He has sounded forth the
trumpet that shall never call retreat;
he is sifting out the
hearts of all before his
judgment seat.
O be swift, my soul, to
answer him; be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.
12. Refrain
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
13. Verse 4
In the beauty of the
lilies
Christ was born across the sea,
with a
glory in his
bosom that transfigures you and me;
as he died to make us
holy, let us die to make all free,
while God is marching on.
14. Refrain
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
15. End of page