Songs stir our souls in
various ways. Sometimes they take our
minds back to our younger days in a sentimental way. Some songs make us contemplate the future and
our position in relation to being prepared for that future. Some songs ask thought-provoking questions
that each person ought to give serious thought to. Who
Else But God? is a song with such a
question.
John Otis Deaton (1891-1985), Lyricist & Composer
John Otis Deaton was born
on May 21, 1891. On September 11, 1919
Otis Deaton married Bennie Youngblood (1893-1980) whose grandfather was first
cousin to Robert E. Lee. She was a
pianist and music teacher. They had several children including Floy,
Isaac Nugent, Tom Calvin, Troy Travis and a daughter who died at infancy.
Deaton was affiliated with
the Stamps-Baxter Quartet. He also
taught summer music schools in various places including once in Cleveland,
OH. He was a promoter of Southern Gospel
Music and wrote the lyrics to one of his most popular songs Give the World A Smile. The song was recorded on Victor Records on
October 20, 1927 and included Palmer Wheeler singing tenor. The title of this song appears on his
tombstone. According to Hymnary.org,
this was his most popular song followed by While
Going Through Life and Its Troubles
and Strife and Lo The Grape is Ripe
and Ready. He also wrote some 400
songs which are largely unknown to us.
Otis Deaton died October
14, 1985 and is buried in Greenview Cemetery in Greenview, TX.
Who Else But God?
The subject of God is one
of great fascination. Even those who do
not believe in God are still perplexed by the subject. The mere questions relating to God are
weighty to contemplate. When one
considers the creation from its vastness to its minuteness, one comes away with
great questions that have answers with serious implications.
In the 2013 West Virginia
School of Preaching Lectureship book on the book of Job, Charles Pugh, III wrote
on “God’s Matchless Questions” and made this statement about God:
“In
effect, God said if man in general (and Job in particular) could not fully
explain and comprehend the things of God’s awesome creation of the universe,
the world, and man, then it should not be thought strange that suffering also
has its mysteries to humans. However,
this much is sure—God, who is infinite in understanding and power is in control
and will do right! ‘Great is our Lord,
and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite’ (Ps. 147:5.) ‘Let all the Earth fear the Lord; Let all the
inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him’ (Psalm 33:8.)” (Living
Lessons from the Book of Job, 2013, pp. 270-271).
We serve an awesome God!
--------------------------------------------
SOURCES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Give_the_World_a_Smile
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=18869761
http://www.hcgstx.org/index.php/records/hcdeathrecords?start=11425
http://www.hymnary.org/person/Deaton_O1
John P. Wiegand, Editor, Praise for the Lord, Nashville, TN: Praise Press, 1997.
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