“Mountain of the Lord”
The voice of the fiddle changed; it was going to sing a hymn. Pa played a few notes. Then they all sang…. — By the Shores of Silver Lake, Chapter 19, “Christmas Eve”
Mountain of the Lord is Hymn #52 in Pure Gold for Sunday School by Rev. Robert T. Lowry and W. Howard Doane. The hymnal was published in New York by Biglow & Main, 1871. Words and Music are by Rev. Lowry; lyrics were written for this publication.
Robert T. Lowry (1826-1899) wanted to be known as a preacher but will always be remembered as a hymn-writer. Born in Philadephia, Lowry became a Baptist preacher, for forty-five years pastoring churches in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. He wrote the popular “Shall We Gather at the River” and “Christ Arose.”
W.H. Doane’s main occupation was president of a woodworking company, although he was trained in church choirs and earned a doctorate of music from Dennison University. During his lifetime, Doane (1832-1915) composed hundreds of hymns, and he published over 40 collection of hymns. Pure Gold was his fifth collection; a copy was owned by the Ingalls family. While working on the Little House books, Laura wrote sister Carrie and asked if she still had the old hymnal, and Carrie mailed it to Laura for reference.
1. Yes! a brighter morn is breaking,
Better days are coming on;
All the world will be a-waking
In the new and golden dawn.
[chorus] And many nations shall come, and say,
(And many nations shall come and say,)
Let us go up to the mountian of the Lord.
Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord;
and He will teach us, will teach us of His ways;
and we will walk in His paths.
2. In the day of coming glory,
Men will show fraternal bnad;
Each will tell to wach the story,
Till it spreads to every land.
3. On the top of Zion’s mountain,
God prepares His house again;
At its threshold springs a fountain,
Flowing for the souls of men.
4. From the eatrh’s remotest stations,
Men will come to hear the word;
And, in all the world, the nations
Shall be nations of the Lord.
(from By the Shores of Silver Lake)
Yes, a brighter morn is breaking,
Better days are coming on.
All the world will be awaking
In a new and golden dawn.
And many nations shall come and say,
Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord!
And He will teach us, will teach us of His ways,
And we will walk in His paths.
“Mountain of the Lord” (SSL 19)
“Yes, a brighter morn is breaking”