Hymn & History
Isaiah 52:7

“Go Tell It On The Mountains”

By John Wesley Work Jr. , 1907

 

Posted on Youtube by Anthem Lights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYWvs3t6B3g

Hymn & History
 

Purpose of

Hymnal Journaling

Many of the great hymns of the church express the purpose of the CBJ mission and website – having a walk that is …”Nearer My God To Thee”.

Reflect on the weekly hymns as you color/doodle and sing along. Use a hymnal of your own, order one at the bottom of this page, or print out sheet music from the internet.

 

Directions for

Hymnal Journaling

1. Watch Video

2. Read History

3. Color/Doodle Hymn

4. Share photo in comments OR

5. Share photo in Facebook Group

Member Submitted Pages for This Hymn

Hymn & HIstory
Hymn & History
Hymn & History
Creative-Bible-Journaling.com has collected the following information and lyrics from various websites, for the sole purpose of sharing with you, for educational purposes only. No money is exchanged for this information. 

Hymn Lyrics

THE LYRICS ~ “Go Tell It On the Mountains”  

Go tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain

that Jesus Christ is born.

While shepherds kept their watching
o’er silent flocks by night,
behold, throughout the heavens

there shone a holy light.

 

[Refrain]
The shepherds feared and trembled
when lo! above the earth
rang out the angel chorus

that hailed our Savior‘s birth.

 

[Refrain]

Down in a lowly manger
the humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation

that blessed Christmas morn.

 

[Refrain]

When I was a seeker,
I sought both night and day;
I asked the Lord to help me,
And He showed me the way.

[Refrain]

The Author of the Hymn

THE AUTHOR ~ John Wesley Work Jr.

Born August 6, 1871 in Nashville, Tennessee
Died September 7, 1925 in Nashville, Tennessee

John Wesley Work Jr. was the first black American collector of folk songs and spirituals, &
also a choral director, educationalist and songwriter.
He attended Fisk University in Nashville, where he organised singing groups & studied Latin & history (his majors), graduating in 1895.
With his wife and his brother, Frederick Jerome Work, Mr. Work began collecting slave songs and spirituals, publishing them as New Jubilee Songs as Sung by the Fisk Jubilee Singers (1901) & New Jubilee Songs and Folk Songs of the American Negro (1907).
The latter book included the first publication of “Go Tell It on the Mountain”, which he may have had a hand in composing.
As the director of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, he was responsible for taking them on tour each year. However, because of negative feelings toward black folk music at Fisk, he was forced to resign his post there in 1923. He then served as president of Roger Williams University in Nashville, until his death in 1925.

History of Hymn

THE HISTORY ~ “Go Tell It On the Mountains” 

The text of this beloved spiritual was first published in Folk Song of the American Negro (1907), a study of African American folk music by John Wesley Work, Jr.
The song may date back to earlier sources, but the original text was lost.
John Jr spent much of his life roaming the Appalachian Mountains with his brother Frederick. They collected, arranged, and promoted music that he found on those mountains. “Go Tell It On The Mountain” was first published in 1907, when Mr. Work added the stanzas to the chorus (refrain) that had long been sung throughout Appalachia.
According to Edith McFall Work, widow of John Wesley Work, III: “The verses of these songs were published by John Work II, in place of the original ones which could not be found.
In 1940 John Work III, had the songs copyrighted and published in his book American Negro Songs.”
In American Negro Songs and Spiritual (1940), John Wesley Work III, attributes the newer text to his uncle Frederick J. Work. “He may have composed it” [the tune], wrote J. W. Work III.
“I know he composed the verses.” The refrain theme comes from Old Testament passages in which praise to God for his acts of deliverance was often shouted, both literally and metaphorically, from the mountaintops (Isaiah 42:11).
While the three stanzas tell the essence of the Christmas story, the refrain underscores the missionary impetus of the Christian church: “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). The “go, tell,” which initially applied to the singers caroling on the university campus, is a signal for us to leave the comfortable confines of Christian worship and “go, tell” the message of Christ’s redemption to the whole world

Now it’s your turn… Create & Share

Share your page by posting a photo in the comments here, or in the CBJ Facebook group

“CREATE Full Access Membership” Gives You the Keys to All Projects, Just Click Below

If you are interested in ordering from ChristianBook.com, please click on any of these ads to be directed to their site. Any purchases, while there, will give us a 8% bonus, at no extra cost to you. This will help fund the CBJ ministry here on the web. Thanks ~ Susan
“Creative-Bible-Journaling.com is a participant in the Christianbook affiliate program, designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking from/to Christianbook.com.”