Slave catchers galore
In Nigeria, I remember my grandmother saying that when she was a little girl her great grandmother always said, ‘be careful how you’re behaving, if you’re naughty I’ll give you two the slave catchers’.
That must have been a terrible, terrible thing to tell a child…
Continue readingCarpenters, Cleese, Cambridge and Christmas
Coco was not sure what was the most astonishing the Carpenters, Cleese or Cambridge and Christmas.
Continue readingWords which are familiar
If you were born before 1965 or sing in a choir then these words may be very familiar to you. They form the core of many a choral work. But did you know that a similar set of words is used frequently but for a far different, yet incoherent, purpose? First of all, let me turn you to what the Bible says: There is no god, so says the fool in his heart.
Continue readingWhy academia is offensive – when difficult questions offend
Continue readingChange comes quickly and unexpectedly
The remarkable speed with which the recent changes have taken place in Afghanistan reminded me of words spoken 2500 years ago in Israel:
Continue readingThere was a school class which comprised only fifteen boys – it was a privileged area and the boys, unable to cope with competition from hard working girls, had been segregated – one of whom had black skin and two had brown, the rest all had white, perhaps you could say albino, but that may be misunderstood. The class was therefore racially diverse.
Continue readingthat should not be asked
You have noticed that the French do not ask questions
Vous mangiez ici?
Vous alliez au football?
Who is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the King?
Who will be his helpers, other lives to bring?
Who will leave the world’s side? Who will face the foe?
Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for him will go?
By thy call of mercy, by thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side: Saviour, we are thine!
Not for weight of glory, nor for crown and palm,
Enter we the army, raise the warrior psalm;
But for love that claimeth lives for whom he died:
He whom Jesus saveth marches on his side.
By thy love constraining, by thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side: Saviour, we are thine!
Jesus, thou hast bought us, not with gold or gem,
But with thine own lifeblood, for thy diadem;
With thy blessing filling each who comes to thee,
Thou hast made us willing, thou hast made us free.
By thy great redemption, by thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side: Saviour, we are thine!
Fierce may be the conflict, strong may be the foe,
But the King’s own army none can overthrow;
‘Round his standard ranging, vict’ry is secure,
For his truth unchanging makes the triumph sure.
Joyfully enlisting, by thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side: Saviour, we are thine!
Chosen to be soldiers, in an alien land,
Chosen, called, and faithful, for our Captain’s band;
In the service royal, let us not grow cold,
Let us be right loyal, noble, true and bold.
Master, thou wilt keep us, by thy grace divine,
Always on the Lord’s side: Saviour, always thine!
Words: Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-79)
Music: Someone will say that it bears some similarity with, a passing resemblance maybe to, a song by Mavis Ford, in which case Coco is flattered and she perhaps annoyed. Coco finally got around to putting pen to paper for a new tune for Who is on the Lord’s side. Any similarity between this and an other tune may be coincidental, deliberate or unintentional in the manner of Brahms first Symphony and many other hymns whose first lines appear to have some resemblance to each other.
The copyright of this arrangement of the music is held by Stuart Moffatt (© 1999-2021).
The midi file was produced using Noteworthy Composer.
The mp3 was produced using Myriad software.
Also on CPDL and NWC Scriptorium
Who is on the Lord’s side is usually sung to at least two different tunes, but obviously not at the same time in the same place that would be anti-fermionic not to say cacophonous:
Rachie
Music: Rachie – Caradog Roberts (1878-1935) and adapted here by Coco
The copyright of this arrangement of the music is held by Stuart Moffatt (© 1999-2021).
On NWC Scriptorium
Armageddon
Music: Armageddon – C. Luise Reichardt, arr. by John Goss, 1871 and adapted here by Coco
The copyright of this arrangement of the music is held by Stuart Moffatt (© 1999-2021).
On NWC Scriptorium
These words of Mavis Ford fit quite nicely onto Armageddon and Rachie, do you not agree?
You are the King of glory
You are the Prince of Peace
You are the Lord of heaven and earth
You’re the Son of righteousness
Angels bow down before you
Worship and adore, for
You have the words of eternal life
You are Jesus Christ the Lord
Hosanna to the son of David
Hosanna to the King of kings
Glory in the highest heaven for
Jesus the Messiah reigns
| The One who made the heavens above Is Lord of you and Lord of me To him we owe unfeigning love For he’s the One who set us free He set us free from Satan’s power He set us free from sin and guilt He set us free in that dark hour When was his blood for sinners spilt. For sinners gave he up his life For sinners he to die had come For sinners fought he in the strife To call poor sinners to his home |
The call is not to one but all
Who will surrender to the same
Not righteous to repentance call
But sinners to his lovely name
The name he has is Lord of Lords
Not just of heaven and all above
The earth and all that it affords
Are his, redeemèd by his love.
The One who made the heavens and earth
Is Lord of you and Lord of me
We praise him now to show his worth
And shall for all eternity.
Words: Stuart Moffatt © 2021 Music: Stuart Moffatt © 2021
The copyright of this arrangement of the music is held by Stuart Moffatt (© 2021).
The midi file was produced using Noteworthy Composer.
The mp3 was produced using Myriad software.
On CPDL and NWC Scriptorium
Coco’s dear old Corsa was so far out of condition.
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