Rank by Rank Again We Stand Lyrics

I don't even know where to begin, then I gauge I'll begin with this morning's experience of singing.

Every bit frequent readers know, I'm an Anglophile – a lover of British television, British picture show, the British Isles, and at least in one case, a British person. Knowing this was today's hymn earlier I cracked open the hymnal, I started humming the tune (past English composer Walford Davies) in the shower, and it felt – feels – quintessentially British. I was transported to the Proms, and a scene from a Merchant-Ivory picture, and it reminded me of Holst and Elgar and that early 20th century English classical music that seems an antidote to the romanticism of the French.

And as I shampooed, I remembered that the lyrics are troubling at best. Hither'southward what we have from the original by John Huntley Skrine, abridged and new words added by our man Carl Seaburg:

Rank by rank again we stand,
from the four winds gathered here.
Loud the hallowed walls demand
whence we come and how, and whither.
From their stillness breaking clear,
echoes wake to warn or cheer;
higher truth from saint and seer
telephone call to us assembled hither.

Ours the years' memorial store,
honored days and names we reckon,
days of comrades gone earlier,
lives that speak and deeds that beckon.
From the dreaming of the dark
to the labors of the mean solar day,
shines their everlasting light,
guiding u.s.a. upon our mode.

Though the path be hard and long,
nevertheless nosotros strive in expectation;
join we now their ageless song
one with them in aspiration.
1 in proper name, in honor one,
guard we well the crown they won;
what they dreamed exist ours to do,
promise their hopes, and seal them truthful.

Trust me, you don't want to know Skrine'southward original lyrics – which were written at the height of British Imperialism at the end of the 19th century. Seaburg did an okay job of softening the Empire language, and lines like "what they dreamed be ours to do" is inspiring. Sometime in the last twenty years, an boosted poetry was added by Kendyl Gibbons:

Never from that summons swerve;
Hark the prophets' living chorus!
Truth and freedom still to serve
Show the present path before u.s..
As we dream, and then shall we cartel;
Easily to service, hearts to prayer.
Clouds of witness call us on,
That a nobler day may dawn.

It's not bad, and "as we dream so shall we dare" is also a boot-ass line.

But oh, the problems. Empire. Abelism. And a song written, likely, for convocation (this appears in a handbook of songs for the Academy of Wales, compiled by Davies – with this tune, Reunion, written for this purpose). And of course at the time, nosotros have men going to university in part to continue ruling the British Empire, which is already offset to show signs of peachy in the wake of World War I. It's not wonder this somewhat militarized tune and language would be used; even though in that context 'rank past rank' alluded to the various academic levels, rank also alludes to the military.

Surprisingly, information on this – especially the tune – was difficult to detect. A quick search for the tune turned up empty, and it took a while to even notice reference to this song outside of our annual Service of the Living Tradition. I finally establish a PDF of the hymnal it comes from (for those who want to follow along, click hither – it'southward on folio 303 of the book and 345 of the PDF itself). The lyrics evidence up on Hymnary, but not the tune, which was a later addition. I finally constitute a recording of the tune hither, in an obscure section of a folksinger's website (Mary Ellen Wessels). I should also note that this was in Hymns of the Spirit and Hymns for the Celebration of Life, and then it has a long history in our liberal religious tradition.

But the search, and my experience with this hymn, is frustrating and complex. And this is a hymn virtually of united states sing in one case or twice a year. Has anyone sung this when they're non processing at an ordination, installation, or Service of the Living Tradition? And nearly of the states dislike the vocal merely love the pomp and circumstance. A few notwithstanding beloved information technology, and so information technology stays as office of our tradition. Can we redeem information technology? It seems that every twelvemonth later General Associates, we talk on Facebook about different lyrics – suggestions include

Rank by rank again we meet,
from the 4 winds gathered here.
Loud the hallowed walls entreat
whence we come up and how, and whither.

or

Rank by rank come nosotros over again,
from the four winds gathered here.
Loud the hallowed walls implore
whence we come and how, and whither.

or

We can become rid of it birthday for these handful of times a twelvemonth, because while information technology is an celebrated part of our living tradition, we are easily able to preserve information technology (see the piles of old hymnals nosotros take) and – because our living tradition CHANGES – we can choose something new. When I hear about how different the Service of the Living Tradition was non that long ago, it seems foreign that we take such a fuss over changing the music we utilize. And if it makes us better as a event, why non?

And… I will still hum this tune now and then because information technology's pretty skilful for a school processional.

—

Photo (via UU World) is of Rev. Cheryl Walker preaching at the 2022 Service of the Living Tradition.

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Source: https://farfringe.com/stlt358-rank-by-rank-again-we-stand/

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