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Ronnie, I thought you might enjoy this article about the "pop star" that motivated the young revolutionary soldiers:
The Prophetic Music of William Billings
The name of William Billings will not mean much to contemporary Americans, but in his day, he was all the rage among pop music aficionados. Scorned by critics and ignored by serious musicians, Billings scored high in the churches and among the masses of late eighteenth-century America. The success of Billings’s music in his day presents a challenge to contemporary Christian pop musicians to consider new ways of using their music in the cause of Christ and His Kingdom.

(He) published the first completely American book of songs, The New-England Psalm-Singer (1771)...

Here is a musician so passionate about the cause for which he is composing that he devotes his "muse" to the task of motivating his compatriots to persevere in the struggle for freedom. His music became a rallying cry to freedom-seeking Americans and helped to sustain them during the eight years of the War for Independence.

The best-known of these popular "rallying" songs is "Chester," in which Billings flaunts the courage and gumption of outmanned and outgunned patriots in standing up to the invading tyrants. This brash melody bursts out like an exuberant army onto the field:

Let tyrants shake their iron rod,
And Slav’ry clank her galling chains,
We fear them not, we trust in God,
New England’s God for ever reigns.

Subsequent stanzas mock the sophisticated cunning and plots of British generals and their futility against God-inspired patriots. England’s legendary redcoats are no match for freedom-loving Americans persuaded that God fights for them:

When God inspir’d us for the fight,
Their ranks were broke, their lines were forc’d,
Their Ships were Shatter’d in our sight,
Or swiftly driven from our Coast.

The Foe comes on with haughty Stride;
Our troops advance with martial noise,
Their Vet’rans flee before our Youth,
And Gen’rals yield to beardless Boys.

Victory can only be certain with God on their side, and Billings calls all Americans to join in songs of praise to Him who directs their just cause and ensures their freedom:

What grateful Off’ring shall we bring?
What shall we render to the Lord?
Loud Halleluiahs let us Sing,
And praise his name on ev’ry Chord.

Here was popular music written in a form every churchgoing American could readily enter into, speaking boldly about the major social issue of the day and calling patriots to hope in the Lord and fight confidently against their foe. The music is bright and forceful, filled with confidence, even arrogance, and focused ultimately on the glory of God.

NEVER FORGET

...Mrs. JULIE MOORE will be inteviewed on...

.. www.JudicialWatch.org ..

...from 12:23pm - 12:55pm Eastern Time

...from 9:23am - 9:55am Pacific Time

NEVER FORGET

I have a copy of that hymn, as sung by an East Coast folk group known as "Dramtreeo". I've always liked it...

the infowarrior

You REALLY ought to post the Billings article as a FReep post.

-archy-/-