The lyrics to this hymn
date back to 1858, but the music goes back further to 1837. The meter of the song is 7.6.7.6 D, which
means the major phrases are alternating 7 syllables followed by 6
syllables. The “D” means doubled; i.e., one could write this as
7.6.7.6.7.6.7.6. The name of the tune is
WEBB, which is the same for the song “The Church’s One Foundation”.
George Duffield, Jr. (1818-1888), Lyricist
George Duffield, Jr. was
born in Carlisle, PA on September 12, 1818.
He was part of a family with strong Presbyterian heritage. He attended Yale College and Union
Theological Seminary obtaining the Doctorate of Divinity. He preached in New York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Michigan.
The song “Stand Up, Stand
Up For Jesus” first appeared in Living
Sacra Americana in 1868 as the author originally wrote it; however, it
appeared in an altered form earlier in 1859 in The Church Psalmist. The basis
of the song was the life events of Dudley A. Tyng who was a popular
denominational preacher in his day who was fatally wounded in a farming
accident. Tyng was outspoken against
slavery. The report of the these last
words of Duffield to his father as he breathed his last reached Duffield who
wrote the lyrics based on Tyng’s words of “Stand up for Jesus” to his father
which some thought were encouraging his father to speak against slavery after
his son died. Duffield heard this report
and formulated these lyrics. This is
Duffield’s most popular work according to the number of hymns it appears
according to Hymnary.org. The song has
been set to various tunes; however, WEBB is by far the most popular.
He was married and had
one son. Duffield passed away in the
home of his son on July 6, 1888 in Bloomfield, NJ and was buried in Woodlawn
Cemetery in Detroit, MI. Words from this
hymn were engraved on his tombstone.
George James Webb (1803-1887), Music
George J. Webb as born
June 24, 1803 near Salisbury, England. His
father was a prosperous farmer which afforded him the opportunity to come to
the United States to further pursue a career in music. He came to American and formed a close
friendship with Lowell Mason in Boston where they founded the Academy of
Music. He followed Mason in relocating
to Orange, NJ in 1871.
The music he wrote, WEBB,
was actually for a secular musical show for which he wrote the song “’Tis Dawn,
the Lark is Singing”. According to
Hymnary.org, based on publication in hymnals this tune was Webb’s most popular
religious work.
He passed away on October
7, 1887 in Orange, NJ and is buried there in Rosedale Cemetery.
Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus
There is a story of a young
boy who wanted to stand in his chair even after being directed by his parents
to sit down. The child was told to sit
down numerous times, but the child persistently rebelled until the parent made him
sit. The boy replied “I may be sitting
on the outside, but I am standing on the inside.” I thought of this story as I read of this
song being excluded from a 1990 Presbyterian hymnal because they thought it was
insensitive to handicapped people who were unable to stand. There is a MAJOR difference from those who
refuse to stand up for Jesus, and those who are unable to stand up for Jesus! Another important reminder—there are more
important ways to stand for Jesus than merely taking a standing position during
the singing of this hymn. Far more!
Some opposed the song
because of its militaristic theme; however, apparently these opponents fail to
realize that living the Christian life; e.g.,
“This
charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously
made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare” (1
Timothy 1:18, NKJV). Of course, the New
Testament makes it plain that we are not speaking about a warfare fought with
swords or guns: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not
war according to the flesh. For the weapons
of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting
down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of
God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and
being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled”
(2 Corinthians 10:3-6, NKJV.)
To stand up for Jesus,
one must first be enrolled in the Lord’s army.
One must enlist by putting Christ on in baptism (Galatians 3:28), and
putting on the Christian armor (Ephesians 6:10-20). We then stand up for Jesus by defending Him
and His word. The battle is not easy,
but the victory is secured as the song well states: “The strife will not be long; This day the
noise of battle, The next the victor’s song.”
If you want to be victorious with Christ, then you must be “in Christ”—“Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every
spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3,
NKJV).
--------------------------------------------
SOURCES:
Emurian, Ernest K. Living
Stories of Famous Hymns. Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1995.
“George Duffield, Jr. 1818-1888.” No pages.
Cited 23 June 2016. Online: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/d/u/f/duffield_g.htm.
“George Duffield.” No pages.
Cited 23 June 2016. Online: https://www.hymnary.org/person/Duffield_G.
“George James Webb 1803-1887.” No pages.
Cited 23 June 2016. Online: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/w/e/b/webb_gj.htm.
“George James Webb.” No pages. Cited 23 June 2016. Online:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=4000.
“George James Webb.” No pages. Cited 23 June 2016. Online:
https://www.hymnary.org/person/Webb_GJ?tab=tunes.
Howard, V. W., and Broadus E. Smith, eds. Church
Gospel Songs & Hymns. Texarkana,
TX: Central Printers & Publishers,
1983.
McCutchan, Robert G. Our Hymnody. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1937.
“Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus.” No pages.
Cited 23 June 2016. Online: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/s/t/standufj.htm.
“Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus.” No pages.
Cited 23 June 2016. Online: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand_Up,_Stand_Up_for_Jesus.
Wiegand, John P., ed. Praise for the Lord. Nashville, TN: Praise Press, 1997.
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