The age-herald., 1898-08-24

to conquer, which went far to stir up ardor in those days. No cry of the faithful in holy war could arouse greater fervor or -abnegation. There are in the lines of Columbia" an unfaltering faith. terrible sense of divine wrath and vengeance, such as breathed later in Julia Wa-d Howe's Battle Hymn of the Republic The words are these:
 Not all the Pow'rs on earth
 Joind in League with Hell
 Can diSconcert our plan
 Which nothing can excel.
 Since such a friend In God we find,
 Adieu to fears of eyry kind
 The poet-musician was a tanner, and jotted down his thoughts on sides of leath- or the walls of the tannery, but a tram scription of them found the way to the ranks, and men singing such words as these in his Chester" would be dangerous men to meet:
 Let tyrants shake their iron rod.
 And slavery clank her galling chains;
 We'll fear them not, we'll trust in God.
 New England's God forever re.gns,
 Howe and Burgoyne and Clinton too,
 With Prescott and Cornwallis joind
 Together plot our overthrow It,d
 In one internal league combin'd. ,sfis5
 When God inspir'd us for the fight
 Their ranks were broke, their lines were
 forc'd,
 Their ships were shattered in our sight,
 Or swiftly driven from our coast.
 The foe comes on with naughty stride,
 Our troops advance with martial noise;
 Their veterans flee before our arms,
 And generals yield to beardless boys.
 What grateful offerings shall we bring?
 What shall we render to the Lord?
 Loud Hallelujahs let us sing,
 And praise his name on ev'ry chord.
 Another written in the dark days of the revolution and called "Lamentat.on Over Boston-an Anthem" is a unique a pro- priation of David's psalmody, and the only approach to gloom that he allowed himself. Even this is changed to a passionate cry of loyalty to the city of his birth. An en- thusiast, man of strong feelings, and with trough. powerful voice that drown ed that of every other singer" he doubt less shook the dust from many New Eng land westinghouse rafters with the same fermentation"
 But 1t served its purpose, for Billings knew the spirit to which he appealed. In those days, that tried mems souls, the iron entered too deep to leave any trait but tragic earnestneSs. An anthem in which the waters of Babylon and Watertown and the cities of Boston and Jerus alem exchanged places savored too strongly of sad reality to awaken the smile it does to- day. But the mile we give it as a. literary curiosity will be shared with sympathy IOT lHG edTueSlHeSS tudl pTOiupitu It, <A1iQ of earnestness Billings left no room for doubt. The econd edition of ''The Singing Masters Assistant" issued in 17S0, and from which he claims to have omitted his less worthy efforts, does not include "The Lamentation Over Boston," Such as it was it is chronicled to have served his pur- pose, and like his Independence" "Co- lumbia' and Chester" to have been wide- ly sung inspiring ardor in the hearts of those who sang 1t.
 These are the wordsi
 By the rivers of Watertown we sat down and wept when we remember'd thee, O Boston.
 A for our friends Lord God of heaven preserve them. defend them, deliver and restore them unto us again.
 For they that held them in bondage re- quir'd of them to take up arms against their brethren.
 Forbid it, Lord God, that those who have sucked Bostonian breasts should thirst for American blood.
 A voice was heard in Roxbury which echo'd thro' the continent, weeping for Boston because of their danger. /
 Is Boston my dear town, is 1t not my rla- tive place. for since their calamity do earnestly remember it still.
 If forget thee, yea, if do not remem-
 Der thee,
 Then let my numbers cease to flow;
 Then be my music unkindj
 Then let my tongue forget to move,
 And ever be confined.
 That William Billings was an iconociast needs no explanation. Musicaly he was 2 kind of New England Wagner. He said that he believed in using those rules of composition that he approved himself, and that he saw no use in being bound down to certain rules because another man had made them. "Nor," he added, with per- feet frankness, would I ask any other man following me to use certain rules be-
 DvN 1Ifw T. kt<xx t- ter he says "Every composer should be his own learner" Which is none the less good logic because it is his individual ver- sion of "experience is the best of teach- CTS"
 MT. Billings did the most unheard-of things musically by flying in the face of established rules, but he said, with sturdy independence and doubtless remar kable truthfulness, that he aroused the people by writing in that way far better than thoe who did not-and he continued in it. In his "Independence'' anthem he cele- brates with rejoicing and thankfulness and with the proclamation that God Is the only king"
 The words of this anthem show the same quaint mixture of cripture and localisms, and are even more fanciful in their dis, regard of any form. But the exaltation of their loyalty and faith Is unquestionabie The anthem runs: The states, o Lord, with songs of praise
 Shall in Thy strength rejoice, And blest with Thy salvation raise To heav'n their cheerful voice.
 And the continent shall sing
 God is our rightful king. Hallelujah. They shall sing to the king. Halelujah. May his blessing descend World without end, On every part of the continent
 May Harmony and Peace \ Begin and never cease. And may the strength increase Of the continent. May American wiids Be fill'd with his smiles.
 And may the native bow to our LosJ King.
 May Rome, France and Spain, And all the world proclaim The glory and the fame of our Royal, King.
 God is the King, amen; The Lord is His name. amen.
 Loud, loudly sing That God Is the King. xw