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8 comments:
Hello Bruce and thank you for posting this rendition of one of the old songs,
I recall our Kingdom Hall had a piano and the only way we could “sing along” was to sing w/ the piano being played only.
If there was no piano or piano player I would presume that the congregations just sang out loud with no music. I’m assuming that changed with the “pink songbook” and the release of the Records on vinyl that the Kingdom Halls would then play through a sound system. Is that basically a correct assumption?
And
Second. The Proclaimers book states on page 239, “Although singing in the local congregations was largely dispensed with in about 1938, it was revived again in 1944 and continues to be a significant feature of the congregation meetings...”. I was very surprised to discover that there was no singing in these wartime years and was curious as to why. Bruce my question is this, do you recall why that happened or have any information on that?
I asked our local old timer and friend who is now 90. He does not recall this and couldn’t answer on it. Do you have any thoughts on why the singing was ceased in 1938?
The May 1, 1938 WT page 139 in an article on order of study, and including children in meetings, gave a suggestion for an introduction to the meeting. It then said this: "A few words like the above pronounced at the beginning of the study would be far more beneficial than to occupy the same time in singing songs, which often express much that is out of harmony with the truth of and concerning God's kingdom."
This suggests there were big problems with the lyrics of some of the songs from the 1928 Songbook by this time. They still sang at conventions, and special lyric sheets were issued at times. The revision of songs and lyrics was not accomplished until the new red covered songbook came out in 1944.
Back in those days nearly every family still had someone who could thump out a sort of tune on a piano, and assemblies and conventions had their own orchestras.
Also, Rutherford saw the fulfilment of the victorious anointed 'singing Jehovah's praise' as a future event.
The 1938 and 1939 watchtowers are downloadable on line.
All the songbooks back to Songs of the Bride are now on youtube. A little searching will take you to them. I miss some of the old songs. One of my favorites was sun to a Christmas tune, so it is gone.
Thank you Jerome and Bruce for your answers and thoughts above. The 1938 article is a gem and this is the first time I’ve heard of that reference so thank you for that. I understand Silent Night was in one of the older song books also! My how times have changed.
Oh and one correction on the reference above, the Proclaimers referenced comment is actually on p. 241
Apologies.
The Watchtower 1 February 1997 p.26,27 comments:
“In 1938 singing at congregation meetings was largely dispensed with. However, the wisdom of following apostolic example and direction soon prevailed. At the 1944 district convention, F. W. Franz delivered the discourse “Song of Kingdom Service.” He showed that songs of praise to Jehovah were offered by God’s heavenly creatures long before the creation of man and said: “It is proper and pleasing to God for His earthly servants to lift their voices in literal song.” After developing the argument for singing in worship, he announced the release of the Kingdom Service Song Book for use at the weekly service meetings.* Then the December 1944 Informant (now called Our Kingdom Ministry) announced that other meetings would also include opening and closing songs. Singing once again became a part of Jehovah’s worship.“
Thank you Gerry for this reference also. Much appreciated!
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