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The Adventurous Deeds of Deadwood Jones by Helen Hemphill

Jun5

Time reading: 2.5 hours
Pages: 228
Total time spent on 48 Hour Challenge so far: 9.25 hours

Helen Hemphill has written an engaging western novel for middle school and high school age young people with The Adventurous Deeds of Deadwood Jones. I’m a fan. It’s interesting that this book carries much the same theme as the Octavian Nothing books that I read for my first entries in the 48 Hour Book Challenge: racial prejudice and injustice, proving oneself as a man, the tragedy of fallen man.

Deadwood Jones is a black cowboy whose story is an amalgam of Nat Love, a true-life African American cowboy of the late 1800’s, Deadwood DIck, a dime novel hero invented by author Edward Wheeler, and dozens of other cowboys, black, white, and Latino, that Mrs. Hemphill read about in her research. The story of Deadwood Jones is a rousing adventure with some humor and quite a dose of tragedy, and it demonstrates what the life of a cowboy was most likely to have been like while enticing the reader to keep reading with a couple of subplots concerning Jones’s search for his long lost father and his quest for justice in an essentially lawless frontier.

Do boys still read Westerns? If so, The Adventurous Deeds of Deadwood Jones should be a winner for those who enjoy such a setting. I was reminded, not of other western novels because my reading of cowboy stories has been somewhat limited, but rather of the classic TV series Gunsmoke and Bonanza. I think that’s high enough praise right there.

Cynsations interview with author Helen Hemphill.

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation by M.T. Anderson

Jun5

Reading Time: 5.75 hours
Pages: 561-88 (already read before the 48-hour Reading Challenge started)= 473.
Complete Titles:
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation:
Volume 1: The Pox Party
Volume 2: The Kingdom on the Waves
All I can say is that Mr. Anderson is quite a talented writer. I am in awe at the creation of the characters of Octavian Nothing and his friends and foes. I spent the first three months of 2009 reading biographies of various of our nation’s founders: George Washington, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton. (I started reading a biography of Thomas Jefferson, but I was by that time so annoyed by what I perceived as Mr. Jefferson’s simultaneous intelligence and hypocrisy that I did not finish.)

If Octavian is to be believed, all of our founders were Jeffersonian in their conflicted thinking about liberty and the pursuit of freedom and happiness. The two volumes of Octavian Nothing do a creditable job of showing the other side, perhaps the dark underside, of the American colonies’ fight for independence from British tyranny. Men fought for “freedom” while denying the same to thousands of enslaved Africans. And in fact, many of them never even saw the contradiction.

Not only are the two books profound in their treatment of the essential incongruity that lies at the heart of our nation’s founding, but Mr. Anderson also has some considerable skill in simply writing about the vagaries of human nature and of men’s relations with one another. Two examples:

“He was that nature of personage who, when they laugh, make all who don’t laugh feel prim; and when they are solemn, make all have been laughing sensible of the chill of silence and the feebleness of gaiety. How doth the voice of one determine the pitch of the others!”

I have known that person! Haven’t you? I have even been that person at times. Then, on the intentions of enslavers and the escape from slavery:

“They want us with no history and no memory. They want us empty as paper so they can write on us, so we ain’t nothing but a price and a an owner’s name and a list of tasks. . . . We’ll slip through and we’ll change who we must needs be and I will be all sly and have my delightful picaresque japes. But at the end of it, when it’s over, I shall be one thing. I shall be one man, fixed, and not have to take no other name. I shall be one person steadily for some years.”

Wow! Again, I stand in admiration of the author who wrote such prose, who was able to enter into the mind of a fictional eighteenth century slave, freed by his own efforts, only to find that man everywhere carries the mark of sin and slavery with him . . .

Over 1000 pages in the two volumes of this story, and every page is gold, or at least silver. Read it. (But why these books are classified as young adult fiction, or even worse children’s fiction, is beyond me. I find it difficult to believe that many people under the age of sixteen could get through the first volume.) However, Drama Daughter (17) says she read it, and although she found it to be hard going at times, she thought it was quite good.

Officially Crazy

Jun5

It’s 8 am CST (or is it daylight savings, I never can remember), and I’m officially participating in Mother Reader’s 48-hour Book Challenge, starting now, whatever kind of time it is. I don’t have time for this challenge. I shouldn’t neglect my family to do it. I already have too many projects going.

Oh, well.

IMG_5682

Here’s my stack of books to read from. I need to read most of these for:
1) school next year OR
2) reviewing I’ve been asked to do OR
3) some other reason that I can’t remember. (Did I tell the world on this blog that I’m losing my short and long term memory?)

I’m planning to read these in whatever order I choose, but I’m starting with one that’s not in the stack: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation: Volume 2, Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson. I’ve actually already started reading the second volume of Octavian’s rather unusual life story, and I’m intrigued and awestruck. How does Mr. Anderson think up this stuff and write it in the English language of Ben Franklin himself?

I’ll get back to you later with more on Octavian Nothing –and what I can remember of the other books I manage to read in the next 48 hours.

Hymn #97: Nothing But the Blood

Jun5

Lyrics: Robert Lowry, 1876.
Music: PLAINFIELD by Robert Lowry, 1876.
Theme:

The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
Hebrews 9:13-14

Hillsong, 2007, singing Nothing But the Blood:

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
The Face of Christ, Detail from the Crucifixion from the Isenheim Altarpiece, circa 1512-16

Refrain:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Refrain
Christ on the Cross, circa 1630

Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Refrain

This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Refrain

Now by this I’ll overcome—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
Now by this I’ll reach my home—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Refrain

Glory! Glory! This I sing—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
All my praise for this I bring—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Refrain

Robert Lowry was a Baptist minister, the first Baptist on this list. Since I’m a Baptist myself at heart, (although I’m temporarily called to an E-free church), I can’t disavow the very Baptist hymns of Mr. Lowry. He also wrote lyrics and tune for: Shall We Gather at the RIver?, Low in the Grave He Lay, and How Can I Keep from Singing?, along with the music for Isaac Watts’s lyrics, Marching to Zion.

Sources:
Robert Lowry by Henry S. Burrage.

Hymn # 98: Our God Reigns

Jun4

Lyrics: Lenny Smith, 1973.
Music: Lenny Smith, arranged by Thomas E. Fettke.
Theme:

How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!” Isaiah 52:7

Composer Lenny Smith: “Most people who sing the song only half-believe it. The real message of the song is not just that God reigns over great events, like kingdoms rising and falling. The real message is that He reigns over the details of what we call accidents and coincidences. His permissive will is His perect will, too . . . and it’s all for good.”

1. How lovely on the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
good news; announcing peace,
proclaiming news of happiness:
our God reigns, our God reigns!
Refrain
Our God reigns, our God reigns,
our God reigns, our God reigns!
2. He had no stately form,
he had no majesty that we should be drawn to him.
He was despised
and we took no account of him,
yet now he reigns with the Most High!
3. It was our sin and guilt that bruised and wounded him;
it was our sin that brought him down.
When we like sheep had gone astray,
our shepherd came and on his shoulders bore our shame!
4. Meek as a lamb that’s led out to the slaughterhouse,
still as a sheep before its shearer,
his life ran down upon the ground like pouring rain
that we might be born again!
5. Out of the tomb he came with grace and majesty;
he is alive, he is alive!
God loves us so:
see here his hands, his feet, his side;
yes, we know he is alive!

Text based on Isaiah 52:7. Text and music © 1974, 1978, New Jerusalem Music.
You can listen to an instrumental version of this contemporary hymn here.
And here’s an October, 2008 blog interview with Mr. Smith in which he says: “I would love to see the young musicians study literature and poetry to help them learn how to write inspired lyrics. I would love to see them learn how to write melodies with one finger on the piano and THEN go after the chords, rather than press melodies into chord patterns. I would love to see the young artists go forth… into the coffee houses and bookstores and clubs and get into the action.” Among other things.

And here is where you can download mp3 files of the songs on Mr. Smith’s one album:
Deep Calls to Deep.
FInally, here’s Sufjan Stevens singing a Lenny Smith composition entitled But For You Who Fear My Name. I do like me some Sufjan, thanks to my two eldest who introduced me to Mr. Stevens and his music a few years ago.

Sources:
Our God Reigns by Phil Christensen and Shari Macdonald.
The Blah Blah: Indie Music That Could Change Your Life. Or Not.

Hymn #99: Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken

Jun3

Lyrics: John Newton
Music: AUSTRIA arranged by Franz Joseph Haydn or ABBOT’S LEIGH by Cyril Taylor.

Girl Detective: “I did like Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken, till I learned it was set to the tune of Deutschland, Deutschland, Uber Alles.”

I say: never let a tune with bad associations ruin a good hymn. One can almost always find an alternate tune. I can manage to sing Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken without ever visualizing a Nazi uniform, but if you can’t try this tune from the day before yesterday’s hymn, or use the more modern tune written by Cyril Taylor especially for these words called ABBOT’S LEIGH.

Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God!
He, whose Word cannot be broken,
Formed thee for His own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
Thou may’st smile at all thy foes.

See! the streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal love;
Well supply thy sons and daughters,
And all fear of want remove:
Who can faint while such a river
Ever flows their thirst t’assuage?
Grace, which like the Lord, the Giver,
Never fails from age to age.

Round each habitation hovering,
See the cloud and fire appear!
For a glory and a cov’ring
Showing that the Lord is near.
Thus deriving from our banner
Light by night and shade by day;
Safe they feed upon the manna
Which He gives them when they pray.

Blest inhabitants of Zion,
Washed in the Redeemer’s blood!
Jesus, whom their souls rely on,
Makes them kings and priests to God.
’Tis His love His people raises,
Over self to reign as kings,
And as priests, His solemn praises
Each for a thank offering brings.

Savior, if of Zion’s city,
I through grace a member am,
Let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in Thy Name.
Fading is the worldling’s pleasure,
All his boasted pomp and show;
Solid joys and lasting treasure
None but Zion’s children know.

Although this is hymn writer John Newton’s first appearance on this list, it will surely not be his last. He is most famous in the United States for another hymn which will appear in due time. In the meantime, Mr. Newton, former slave and then slave trader, was a prolific versifier. Along with poet and friend WIlliam Cowper, Newton published a collection of hymn lyrics called The Olney Hymns, named after the village where Newton was a minister for many years. Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken was one of the hymns in the collection that was written by Mr. Newton. Newton, and his friend Cowper, wrote these hymns for a weekly prayer and worship service with usually one new hymn written each week.

Newton on hymns for public worship: “They should be Hymns, not Odes, if designed for public worship, and for the use of plain people. Perspicuity, simplicity and ease, should be chiefly attended to; and the imagery and coloring of poetry, if admitted at all, should be indulged very sparingly and with great judgement.”

Sources:
Victorian Web: The Olney Hymns by John Newton.
Amazing Grace: The Story of John Newton by Al Rogers.
Hymntime: Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken.

The Underneath and Me

Jun2

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt was the Semicolon Book Club selection for May, and Amy at Hope Is the Word is on top of it. She’s right in pointing out that this book was somewhat controversial in its treatment of cruelty to animals, and I agree with her that the book is for older children and young adults.

Because I had already read The Underneath and because I loaned my copy to my mom and because I sometimes uses excuses like those to procrastinate, I didn’t get around to re-reading The Underneath in May. My local book club didn’t meet because I got so involved in graduation for my daughter and in hymn survey that I couldn’t manage the book club, too. (Another excuse.)

Anyway, here’s a link to my review of The Underneath, a book I think deserved the Newbery Honor it received and then some. The Semicolon book club selection for June is David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. I’m not going to procrastinate on the one because if I do I won’t get it read. If you want to join me in reading Dickens’ semi-autobiographical opus, then get reading. I’m making it a goal to post every Tuesday about my progress in re-reading David Copperfield—just to keep myself on track.

The book club meeting, for those of you who live in Houston, will be at 2:00 on Monday, June 29th rather than on the previous Saturday. Anyone who’s even finished part of David by that date is welcome to come over to my house and discuss. Then on Tuesday June 30th, I’ll post a wrap-up with link to those of you online who manage to read and write about Mr. Copperfield.

Come on and give it a try. Summertime is made for long, hefty, chunky classics.

Hymn #100: O God Our Help In Ages Past

Jun2

Lyrics: Isaac Watts, The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament, 1719.
Music: ST ANNE by WIlliam Croft, 1708.
Theme: Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Psalm 90:1-2

Hannah: . . . a beautiful commentary of the frailty of human life, and the omnipotent strength of an immortal God. This is a beautiful cry to God for help in our brief lives, and a remembrance that He is our home in the next one.


O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defence is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

Thy Word commands our flesh to dust,
Return, ye sons of men:
All nations rose from earth at first,
And turn to earth again.

A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downwards by the flood,
And lost in following years.

Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

Like flowery fields the nations stand
Pleased with the morning light;
The flowers beneath the mower’s hand
Lie withering ere ‘tis night.

Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.

From The Second World War by Winston Churchill, Vol. 3, p. 345:

On Sunday morning, August 10, (l94l) Mr Roosevelt came aboard H.M.S. PRINCE OF WALES and, with his Staff officers and several hundred representatives of all ranks of the United States Navy and Marines, attended Divine Service on the quarterdeck. This service was felt by all of us to be a deeply moving expression of the unity of faith of our two peoples, and none who took part in it will forget the spectacle presented that sunlit morning on the crowded quarterdeck…… the American and British chaplains sharing in the reading of the prayers.. I chose the hymns myself.

We ended with “O God, Our Help in Ages Past” which Macaulay reminds us the Ironsides had chanted as they bore John Hampden’s body to the grave. Every word seemed to stir the heart. It was a great hour to live. Nearly half those who sang were soon to die.”

This hymn is inextricably linked, in my mind at least, with Churchill and with the heroism of the British people during World War II. In the final scenes of the WWII film Mrs. Miniver, as the people gather in a bomb-damaged church, the preacher exhorts them on remaining steadfast and faithful as the ST ANNE tune to O God Our Help in Ages Past plays in the background. According to Cyber Hymnal, the same hymn was played at Sir WInston Churchill’s funeral at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London in 1965.

I know of two alternate tunes to this venerable hymn:

Sovereign Grace has a mp3 version that you can download for free if you like it.
My friend Hannah also has composed a tune setting for the lyrics to O God Our Help in Ages Past, and we sing her tune at my church. I wish you could hear it; she’s quite a talented composer.

I also found at iTunes a ST ANNE rendition by Bing Crosby, and I just had to buy it. I’m rather fond of Mr. Crosby’s crooning.

Sources:
Hymn History: O God Our Help in Ages Past.
Cyber Hymnal: O God Our Help in Ages Past.
W. G. Parker: An Historical Link With 1941 World War II.

Hymn #101: Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted

Jun1

Lyrics: Thomas Kelly, Hymns on Various Passages of Scripture, 1804.
Music: WO IST JESUS, MEIN VERLANGEN, German hymn tune.
Theme: Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5

Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See him dying on the tree!
This is Christ, by man rejected;
Here, my soul, your Savior see.
He’s the long expected prophet,
David’s son, yet David’s Lord.
Proofs I see sufficient of it:
He’s the true and faithful Word.

Tell me, all who hear him groaning,
Was there ever grief like this?
Friends through fear his cause disowning,
Foes insulting his distress;
Many hands were raised to wound him,
None would intervene to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced him
Was the stroke that justice gave.

You who think of sin but lightly
Nor suppose the evil great
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the sacrifice appointed;
See who bears the awful load;
It’s the Word, the Lord’s Anointed,
Son of Man and son of God.

Here we have a firm foundation;
Here the refuge of the lost;
Christ, the rock of our salvation,
His the name of which we boast.
Lamb of God, for sinners wounded,
Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded
Who on him their hope have built.

The lyrics here have been modernized somewhat, but not so much as to lose the meaning. (Original lyrics at NetHymnal) I don’t know how to embed it, but you can listen to a beautiful version of this hymn by Fernando Ortega here.

I had never heard of this hymn, but as I was looking it up I did find another hymn by Thomas Kelly, an Irish preacher and hymn writer, that we sing at our church all the time: Look Ye Saints, the Sight Is Glorious (didn’t make the top 101 list). I rather think I like both of the two of Mr. Kelly’s hymns that I’m now acquainted with. I’ll play Stricken, Smitten and Afflicted for the urchins today, and we’ll make a stab at singing it. Thanks to Sarah, among others, for introducing me to this beautiful and meaningful hymn.

By the way we’re starting with #101 because numbers 99-101 on my compilation of votes were tied for points. Tomorrow, number 100 on the list! Hint: Tomorrow’s hymn was sung at the funeral of former British prime minister Winston Churchill in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, 1965.