Battle Hymn of the Republic

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord,
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword-
His truth is marching on.

Glory! glory, hallelujah!
Glory! glory, hallelujah!
Glory! glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

I have seen him in the watchfires of a hundred circling camps,
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps-
His day is marching on.

Glory! glory, hallelujah!
Glory! glory, hallelujah!
Glory! glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never sound retreat,
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat;
O be swift, my soul, to answer Him! Be jubilant, my feet!-
Our God is marching on.

Glory! glory, hallelujah!
Glory! glory, hallelujah!
Glory! glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me;
As he died top make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.

Glory! glory, hallelujah!
Glory! glory, hallelujah!
Glory! glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
                               ~Julia Ward Howe



This is one of my favorite songs to play on my violin. It is a challenge and I love the tune and the key it is in. While playin an instrument, you dont pay attention to the words. Sometimes while singing we dont even pay attention but we should.

Verses 3+4 Bring more meaning to me. The second part of verse 3 says, "O be swift, my soul, to answer Him! Be jubilant, my feet!" Do we rejoice when we can do Gods will? Are we happy to serve Him?

Verse 4 says, "As he died top make men holy, let us die to make men free." I dont believe this is just talking about physically free. Would we be willing to die to bring the gospel to people? Would we die so they could spiritually be free from the bondage of sin? ARE WE WILLING TO DIE TO OUR SELFISH DESIRES? Would we give the gospel to people even when we are laughed at or ridiculed or cussed at?

Yesterday was the fourth of July. Many people saw this as a reason to "celebrate" with their liquor and cigarettes and filthy language. Why are people celebrating independence day when they are slaves to their sin? They are in bondage and they dont even care!

Yesterday was a sobering experience for me. Every year, someone from our church goes to GR to pass out tracts and watch fireworks and this year my family went too. This year was the most eyeoppening and scary for me so far. We have a reputation for giving the truth and people know who we are when they see us coming most of the time. This year, I went to give a lady a gospel tract and she started swearing at me and saying nasty things. She knows our reputation because she exclaimed something to the effect that, "cant we have a nice 4th without people trying to condemn us?" After that, I got laughed at by an atheist and then a man walked by screaming some nasty things.

I have to remind myself- Truth convicts! They are blaspheming God! I need to do my job as a Christian and stand for what is right- NO MATTER WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Glory! glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on!