Fritz, that story is an excellent find. I think it would be wonderful if one of the people closest to Gene sent it to him. I'm going to look up the hymn. I wonder if it would be good ar the funeral.
I wonder whether by "Climbing to Zion" he actually meant this:
"Marching to Zion"
Words: Isaac Watts
Music: Robert Lowery
Come, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known;
Join in a song with sweet accord,
Join in a song with sweet accord
And thus surround the throne,
And thus surround the throne.
RefrainWe’re marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We’re marching upward to Zion,
The beautiful city of God.
The sorrows of the mind
Be banished from the place;
Religion never was designed
Religion never was designed,
To make our pleasures less,
To make our pleasures less.
RefrainLet those refuse to sing,
Who never knew our God;
But favorites of the heavenly King,
But favorites of the heavenly King
May speak their joys abroad,
May speak their joys abroad.
RefrainThe God that rules on high,
And thunders when He please,
Who rides upon the stormy sky,
Who rides upon the stormy sky,
And manages the seas,
And manages the seas.
RefrainThis awful God is ours,
Our Father and our Love;
He will send down his heav’nly powers,
He will send down his heav’nly powers,
To carry us above,
To carry us above.
RefrainThere we shall see His face,
And never, never sin!
There, from the rivers of His grace,
There, from the rivers of His grace,
Drink endless pleasures in,
Drink endless pleasures in.
RefrainYea, and before we rise,
To that immortal state,
The thoughts of such amazing bliss,
The thoughts of such amazing bliss,
Should constant joys create,
Should constant joys create.
RefrainThe men of grace have found,
Glory begun below.
Celestial fruits on earthly ground
Celestial fruits on earthly ground
From faith and hope may grow,
From faith and hope may grow.
RefrainThe hill of Zion yields
A thousand sacred sweets
Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
Or walk the golden streets,
Or walk the golden streets.
RefrainThen let our songs abound,
And every tear be dry;
We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground,
We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground,
To fairer worlds on high,
To fairer worlds on high.
Refrain--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an old, old Evangelical favorite. The words were written by Isaac Watts in 1707 and the music by Robert Lowery in 1867. We sing it a couple times a year even in my moderately high church Episcopal parish. The Episcopal hymnal doesn't include all the stanzas. You can find the words and also listen to the music at
http://www.cyberhymnal.org.