September 24, 2008 7:09 AM
Hymns for Kids - I Sing a Song of the Saints of God
I get up every morning not knowing what I will write about. Honestly. There's a Chinese proverb that reminds us that only an empty cup can be filled. I like to wake up as an empty cup and let God take me where He wills. I say this not with presumption, but humility. And to explain how a lot of the subject matter on this blog comes about. I know lately it's been pretty political around here, but normally there's a certain randomness that characterizes the subjects covered here.
This morning I woke up with a hymn I'd learned in the Episcopal Church running through my mind. What a perfect hymn to teach kids! What I thought would be a simple blog entry turned more complex as I researched it and found so much I wanted to share with you.
It starts with a mom who wrote songs for her children when they would ask "Write us a song about a foggy day," or "Make us a hymn about a picnic."
One year, as the Feast of All Saints approached, she decided to write a song that would inspire her children and teach them something about the commitments of Christian faith.
I Sing a Song of the Saints of GodI sing a song of the saints of God,
Patient and brave and true,
Who toiled and fought and lived and died
For the Lord they loved and knew.
And one was a doctor,
And one was a queen,
And one was a shepherdess on the green:
They were all of them saints of God--and I mean,
God helping, to be one too.They loved their Lord so dear, so dear,
And his love made them strong;
And they followed the right, for Jesus' sake,
The whole of their good lives long.
And one was a soldier,
And one was a priest,
And one was slain by a fierce wild beast:
And there's not any reason--no, not the least,
Why I shouldn't be one too.They lived not only in ages past,
There are hundreds of thousands still,
The world is bright with the joyous saints
Who love to do Jesus' will.
You can meet them in school, or
In lanes, or at sea,
In church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea,
For the saints of God are just folk like me,
And I mean to be one too.
Though this hymn became part of the Anglican hymnal in 1940, I could not find it at Cyberhymnal or Oremus. Hymnsite has it, but I can't use their plugins with Firefox - maybe you can use it with your browser. This left me with a grand organ version on YouTube - which lacks the childlike quality I was looking for :) but you can learn for the tune.
From Singing the Song:
'I sing a song of the saints of God' was intended for use on saints' days to reinforce the fact that saints not only lived in the distant past but may also live and work in everyday lives. Mrs Scott's hymns were first published in England in Everyday Hymns for Little Children, 1929, and in the United States in the Episcopal Hymnal 1940.Lesbia Lesley Locket was born in Willesden in 1898, and educated at Raven's Croft School in Sussex. She married John Mortimer Scott, a naval officer, who later became an Anglican priest and served a parish near Dartmoor. Active in amateur theatre and religious drama, Mrs Scott did considerable writing, especially of religious drama. She died in 1986 at Pershore
Besides the Episcopal Hymnal 1982 (Hymn #293), it is also found in the 1974 Book of Worship for United States Forces (Hymn #444) and the United Methodist 1989 Hymnal (Hymn #712).
I also came across a lovely picture book illustrating the lines:
I Sing a Song of the Saints of God by Lesbia Scott (Author), Judith Gwyn Brown (Illustrator)
Product DescriptionAmazon has used paperback copies for as little as .02
Now, this much beloved hymn is whimsically illustrated by a renowned children's book artist. In charming rhyme, the lives of various saints, like Joan of Arc, are acted out by a mischievous children's choir. Young readers will be delighted by the full-color drawings and by the message that all God's children are His "saints." Brief biographies of the saints appear at the end.
I do so believe - and this story reinforces my belief - that motherhood does not squelch our creativity but releases it, helps us reach deep down and find our true selves.
And I hope this inspires you to teach your children this lovely hymn. Throughout our homeschooling days, though I am not a great singer, I sang hymns with my children because they contain the essentials of our faith in a way that praise music did not. While praise music can be very moving, it is centered more on feelings than doctrine and - let's face it - just isn't as intellectually challenging. Each has its place. But if you have not grown up in a faith tradition that has instilled a love of hymns you might want to stretch in this area to bring hymns into your home - for the sake of your children.
The more senses involved in learning, the more a part of your child the lessons become. Music helps build a strong foundation, but as Paul talked of feeding disciples milk and meat, you might want to consider giving your children more substance through hymns.
"I Sing a Song of the Saints of God" is a good place to start. And I plan to do more in the future. Also, in case you have or plan to write posts on hymns for kids, please link so we can all share.
Posted in Homeschooling, Mothering, Music | Permalink
Comments
I love this hymn! It is one of my all time favs!
That and #412 in 1982 Hymnal. I love the "loud boiling test tube" line :) (From "He Has Done Marvelous Things")
Posted by: anna | September 24, 2008 8:54 AM
Thanks for reminding me of this great hymn! I had forgotten all about it. I never heard it sung in church but I think that Elisabeth Elliot once printed the words and music in her newsletter and then my mom had us all learn it. I will relearn it and teach it to my daughter. I have been thinking that I want to start teaching my daughter hymns. When she was a newborn, I used to get out the hymnal and sing to her but a year later, I have let that go. Thank you for the nudge in the right direction.
Posted by: Elissa | September 24, 2008 9:34 PM
Nose-deep in Catholic Tradition my whole life, I grew up with a LOVE of old hymns. I find them soul-stirring, prayer-inspiring, and provoke a reverence that is often missed otherwise. I, too, enjoy praise music (I am active in the Catholic Charismatic tradition, also) but often return my roots when it comes to musical praise.
My husband's song for our daughter (she was rather colicky) remains "Lift High the Cross" and I love "All Creatures of our God and King", among others. (As a Catholic, I recommend the words to "Oh Lord I am Not Worthy" as a Eucharistic Meditation. )
St. Augustine famously said that "Singing is praying twice" and a lot of the old hymns seem to echo the Angelic Courts of Praise. Being able to lift our voices in total worship with the words of the saints and scripture offers our children an opportunity to absorb those words in a very powerful way.
Music is an integral part of our daily lives in our house - thanks for being a great example of humbling yourself for the betterment of your children!
Posted by: Kate | September 24, 2008 9:59 PM
Thank you for posting the words to this hymn! I first sang it when I was an Episcopalian...now that I am back to the Catholic church, I hadn't heard it in years & was just telling my pastor about it the other day. I teach PREP classes to 2nd graders (CCD/Sunday School) and I think this would be a good one for them to learn! Thanks again.
Posted by: Laura | October 31, 2008 7:51 AM
How nice to read the comments on "I Sing a Song of the Saints of God." This hymn was a childhood favorite of mine. Then, as an adult, I began playing a little pump organ for services at a summer chapel in--Grand Isle, Vermont! This is where the hymn tune (Grand Isle) was composed. The Lady Chapel only has services in August. It is on Westerly, the summer property of the descendants of six siblings and their spouses. John Henry Hopkins III, the composer of the hymn tune, was the husband of one of the siblings. (His uncle, John Henry Hopkins Jr., composed the more familiar carol, "We Three Kings.")
I do not believe there is a website for Westerly or the Lady Chapel, but I may be able to find you a couple of Internet references, if you like.
Many thanks for your research on Lesbia Scott and the history of the words of the hymn.
Marjorie Adams
P.s. I got to your site while Googoling "loud boiling test tubes"--I ran into that hymn for the first time when I played it this morning. I guess that's either a hymn that you love or you hate! I liked it right away!
Posted by: Marjorie Adams | May 17, 2009 5:25 PM
