Where the Soul Never Dies

1

To Canaan’s land I’m on my way,

Where the soul never dies;

My darkest night will turn to day,

Where the soul never dies.

2

A rose is blooming there for me,

Where the soul never dies;

And I will spend eternity,

Where the soul never dies.

3

A love light beams across the foam,

Where the soul never dies;

It shines to light the shores of home,

Where the soul never dies. 

4

My life will end in deathless sleep,

Where the soul never dies;

And everlasting joys I’ll reap,

Where the soul of man never dies. 

5

I’m on my way to that fair land,

Where the soul of man never dies;

Where there will be no parting hand,

Where the soul never dies.

Chorus:

No sad farewells,

(Dear friends, there'll be no sad farewells)

No tear-dimmed eyes;

(There'll be no tear-dimmed eyes)

Where all is love,

(Where all is peace and joy and love)

And the soul never dies.

(And the soul of man never dies)

Author: William M. Golden

Here's one of my favorite renditions of this grand old gospel song, by grand old Willie Nelson.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0pu86vDOyw&list=RDO0pu86vDOyw&start_radio=1

I Am Dwelling on the Mountain

 

1 

I am dwelling on a mountain,

Where the golden sunlight gleams

O’er a land whose wondrous beauty

Far exceeds my fondest dreams;

Where the air is pure, ethereal,

Laden with the breath of flowers,

That are blooming by the fountain,

’Neath the amaranthine bowers.

Chorus:

Is not this the land of Beulah?

Blessed, blessed land of light;

Where the flowers bloom forever,

And the sun is always bright?

2 

I can see far down the mountain,

Where I wandered weary years,

Often hindered in my journey,

By the ghosts of doubt and fears;

Broken vows and disappointments

Thickly sprinkled all the way;

But the spirit led unerring

to the land I hold today. [Chorus]

3 

I am drinking at the fountain,

Where I ever would abide,

For I’ve tasted life’s pure river,

And my soul is satisfied;

There’s no thirst for earthly pleasures,

Nor adorning rich and gay,

For I’ve found a richer treasure,

One that fadeth not away. [Chorus]

4 

Tell me not of heavy crosses,

Nor the burdens hard to bear,

For I've found this great salvation

Makes each burden light appear;

And I love to follow Jesus,

Gladly counting all but dross,

Worldly honors all forsaking

For the glory of the cross. [Chorus]

5 

Oh! the cross has wondrous glory!

Oft I’ve proved this to be true,

When I’m in the way so narrow,

I can see a pathway through;

And how sweetly Jesus whispers,

“Take the cross, thou need’st not fear,

For I've trod the way before thee,

And the glory lingers near.” [Chorus]

 

William Hunter

I Am Dwelling on the Mountain - The Isaacs

 

I Saw the Light

1
I wandered so aimless, my heart filled with sin

I wouldn’t let my dear Savior in

Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night

Praise the Lord, I saw the light

2

Just like a blind man I wandered alone

Worries and fears I claimed for my own

Then like the blind man that God gave back his sight

Praise the Lord, I saw the light

3

I was a fool to wander and stray

For strait is the gate and narrow the way

Now I have traded the wrong for the right

Praise the Lord, I saw the light

CHORUS

   I saw the light, I saw the light

   No more darkness, no more night

   Now I’m so happy, no sorrow in sight

   Praise the Lord, I saw the light

Hank Williams

I Saw the Light - Hank Williams

Luke 18:35-43

And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

Mark 10:51-52

And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

Matthew 7:13-14

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Kneel at the Cross

1

Kneel at the cross, Christ will meet you there

Come while He waits for you

Listen to His voice, leave with Him your cares

And begin life anew

2

Kneel at the cross, there’s room for all

Who will his glory share

Bliss there awaits, harm can nary fall

Those who are anchored there

3

Kneel at the cross, give your idols up

Look unto realms above

Turn not away, to life’s sparkling cup

Trust only in His love

CHORUS

   Kneel at the cross, kneel at the cross

   Leave every care, leave every care

   Kneel at the cross, kneel at the cross

   Jesus will meet you there

Charles E. Moody

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIsIyFwbfOQ&list=RDUIsIyFwbfOQ&start_radio=1

In our present time and place Christians don't have to deal too much with literal religious idols -- carved images representing other 'gods' to be worshipped. The idols of our world come in the form of desires for things that may draw us away from God, or become more important to us than God.  

Colossians 3:5

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

In our present time and place, there is one glaring idol that rises above all others -- money. I could write a whole book (actually, I did) about the way the Bible tells us to regard wealth and poverty. What we see in our world today is the exact opposite of the way God tells us to look at it. Money has become our idol.

1 Timothy 6:10

For the love of money is the root of all evil.

Uncloudy Day

1

Oh they tell me of a home far beyond the sky

Oh they tell me of a home far away

Oh they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise

Oh they tell me of an uncloudy day

   Oh the land of cloudless day

   Oh the land of an uncloudy sky

   Oh they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise

   Oh they tell me of an uncloudy day

2

Oh they tell me that he smiles on his children there

And his smile drives their sorrows away

Oh they tell me that no clouds ever come again

In that lovely land of uncloudy day

   Oh the land of cloudless day

   Oh the land of an uncloudy sky

   Oh they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise

   Oh they tell me of an uncloudy day

3

O they tell me of the King in His beauty there,

And they tell me that mine eyes shall behold,

Where He sits on the throne that is whiter than snow,

In the city that is made of gold.

   Oh the land of cloudless day

   Oh the land of an uncloudy sky

   Oh they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise

   Oh they tell me of an uncloudy day

J. K. Atwood

The Unclouded Day - Ralph Stanley

Grandma's Feather Bed

Got to thinking about children's folk songs last night, and ran across this one. I don't think I learned it as a child, but it's a fun song that I haven't thought about in a long time.

When I was a little bitty boy just up off the floor

We used to go down to grandma's house every month end or so

We'd have chicken pie, country ham

Homemade butter on the bread

But the best darn thing about grandma's house

Was the great big feather bed

It was nine feet high and six feet wide

And soft as a downy chick

It was made from the feathers of forty 'leven geese

Took a whole bolt of cloth for the tick

It could hold eight kids and four hound dogs

And a piggy we stole from the shed

We didn't get much sleep but we had a lot of fun

On grandma's feather bed

After supper we'd sit around the fire, the old folks'd spit and chew

Pa would talk about the farm and the war

And granny'd sing a ballad or two

And I'd sit and listen and watch the fire till the cobwebs filled my head

Next thing I'd know I'd wake up in the morning

In the middle of the old feather bed

It was nine feet high and six feet wide

And soft as a downy chick

It was made from the feathers of forty 'leven geese

Took a whole bolt of cloth for the tick

It could hold eight kids and four hound dogs

And a piggy we stole from the shed

We didn't get much sleep but we had a lot of fun

On grandma's feather bed

Well, I love my ma and I love my pa, I love granny and grandpa too

I've been fishin' with my uncles, I wrestled my cousin

I even kissed Aunt Lou, ew!

But if I ever had to make a choice I guess it oughta be said

That I'd trade them all plus the gal down the road

For grandma's feather bed

I'd trade them all plus the gal down the road

For grandma's feather bed

It was nine feet high and six feet wide

And soft as a downy chick

It was made from the feathers of forty 'leven geese

Took a whole bolt of cloth for the tick

It could hold eight kids and four hound dogs

And a piggy we stole from the shed

We didn't get much sleep but we had a lot of fun

On grandma's feather bed

We didn't get much sleep but we had a lot of fun

On grandma's feather bed

Songwriters: Jim Connor

Grandma's Feather Bed - Chuck Wagon Gang

Here's where I first heard it:

Grandma's Feather Bed - John Denver

That was way back in the 1900s...

Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me

Jesus Savior pilot me

Over life’s tempestuous sea

Chart and compass come from thee

Jesus Savior pilot me

    Unknown waves before me roll

    Hiding rock and treacherous shoal

    Chart and compass come from thee

    Jesus Savior pilot me

When at last I near the shore

And the fearful breakers roar

May I hear thee say to me

Fear not I will pilot thee

    ‘twixt me and the peaceful rest

    Then while leaning on thy breast

    May I hear thee say to me

    Fear not I will pilot thee

Edward Hopper

(This is the Ralph Stanley verion)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xse5d4AMIuo&list=RDXse5d4AMIuo&start_radio=1

I never thought of this as a bluegrass song. Here's the more traditional hymn version, beautifully rendered by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVcNIvZjarQ&list=RDzVcNIvZjarQ&start_radio=1

Jesus, Savior, pilot me

Over life's tempestuous sea;

Unknown waves before me roll,

Hiding rock and treach'rous shoal;

Chart and compass came from thee:

Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

As a mother stills her child,

Thou canst hush the ocean wild;

Boist'rous waves obey thy will

When thou say'st to them, "Be still!"

Wondrous sov'reign of the sea,

Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

When at last I near the shore,

And the fearful breakers roar

'Twixt me and the peaceful rest,

The, while leaning on thy breast,

May I hear thee say to me,

"Fear not, I will pilot thee."

MARK 4:35-41

And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?