Thinking about the new year, Coco had been locked in a discussion with a linguistical friend, who could turn your Latin homework into better Latin than ever Pliny’s grandson would have even dreamed he could write, trying to find a better expression of ‘Spero meliora’ than is offered either by Google translate or by the owners of the motto. It seemed to Coco to be far too weak to be a good motto, though Coco had no doubt that to the literate Roman it carried much more weight that Micawber’s ‘Something will turn up’, which is all the poor English language can muster. Coco had hoped for better. ‘Semper ad Meliora’ is hardly an improvement, though ‘Semper meliora’ may be closer to that for which Coco had hoped. It was inevitable that Coco should come out of the discussion with a turnip nose, as in cauliflower ear, of which Coco had learned from the Third Programme’s heir at about 1845 this evening¹. Beware if you have such a thing lest when you use tobacco and blow smoke from it the fire wardens are not called out!
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…
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.
There 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.
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!
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:
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
