“There’s A Royal Banner” may appear as “The Banner of the Cross” in some publications because that was the original title of the song when it appeared in 1887. The original composition was four verses, and some of the verses have been changed in some songbooks.
Daniel Webster Whittle (1840-1901), Lyricist
The song is credited to Daniel W. Whittle in John P. Wiegand’s Praise For The Lord, but it is credited to “El Nathan” in V. E. Howard’s Church Gospel Songs & Hymns. Was there a mistake? No, “El Nathan” was a pseudonym used by Daniel Whittle.
Daniel Webster Whittle was born November 22, 1840 in Chicopee Falls, MA. His father greatly admired Daniel Webster and named his son after him. In addition to “There’s A Royal Banner”, Whittle also wrote other songs we know: “Why Not Now” and “I Know Whom I Have Believed” (also set to music by James McGranahan). He is credited with writing approximately 200 hymns. He enlisted in the Illinois Infantry in 1861. On August 22, 1862, he married Abbie Hanson, the night before being deployed in the Illinois Infantry in the Civil War. He marched under Sherman and was wounded in Vicksburg. He is sometimes referred to as Major Whittle. He was associated with the evangelistic campaigns of Dwight L. Moody. He worked for a time with the Elgin Watch Company. He also edited the Memoirs of P. P. Bliss. Daniel Webster Whittle died March 4, 1901 in Northfield, MA and is buried in Center Cemetery. His tombstone reads “Major Daniel Webster Whittle.” On his stone is a reference to Hebrews 11:27: “…he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.” His wife passed away in 1906, and apparently they had one daughter, Mary, who married W. R. Moody.
Lloyd Otis Sanderson (1901-1992), Lyricist
Sanderson is credited with the third verse of this hymn in V. E. Howard’s songbook, but Praise for The Lord has a different third verse which was written by Whittle.
Sanderson was born May 18, 1901 near Jonesboro, Arkansas. His father was a singing teacher who was reared in a home where instruments were forbidden. So Sanderson’s father made sure that instruments were prominent in their home including the piano, organ, guitar and others. He was taught much about music both from his father and mother. He was brought up in the Methodist Church; however, he became a Christian in 1922. He had to give up his position as church choir director of the Methodist Church but was hired to teach music by J. N. Armstrong at Harper Christian College which would eventually lead to his teaching at Harding College. On August 29, 1927 he married Rena Raye Woodring. In 1935 he worked as Business Manager for the Gospel Advocate in Nashville, TN where he also taught at David Lipscomb College. With the death of John T. Hinds in 1938, he served as interim editor of the Gospel Advocate until B. C. Goodpasture took over the Editorship in 1939. He continued as the Music Editor for the Gospel Advocate for some time but decided to resign in 1942 to devote his efforts to full time church work. He was acquainted with many familiar names in the brotherhood: N.B. Hardeman, G.C. Brewer, Horace Busby, Foy E. Wallace, Roy Cogdill, F.B. Srygley, B.C. Goodpasture, S.H. Hall, E.M. Borden, C.R. Nichol, M.S. Mason, A.G. Freed, H.A. Dixon, E.A. Elam, H. Leo Boles and others. He was also familiar with other popular song writers: E. L. Jorgenson, William W. Slater and Tillitt S. Teddlie. Hymns that he wrote include “Be With Me, Lord”, “The Lord Has Been Mindful of Me”, “Bring Christ Your Broken Life” and others. Some report that he also used a pseudonym, Vana R. Raye, based on his wife’s name. He also published hymnbooks including Church Hymns I, II, III.
His wife died in a serious car accident in 1984 which left Sanderson crippled. They had lost their daughter to cancer a few days prior to the accident. Sanderson remarried to Vesta Stowe Sanderson in 1988. Lloyd Sanderson died January 17, 1992 and is buried by his first wife Rena in Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, TN.
James McGranaham (1784-1872), Composer
James McGranahan was born July 4, 1840 in Adamsville, PA. His father was a farmer and desired his son to continue farming. James McGranahan became interested in music through a local singing school. When he was 19 years old, he enrolled in the Normal Music School in Geneseo, NY which was founded by William B. Bradbury. He married Addie Vickery in 1863. He worked as a Singing Evangelist which he began in 1877 among the United Presbyterian Church. He did evangelistic work in the United States, England, and Ireland. He also popularized all male choirs for gospel music in his day. Besides this hymn, he also composed music for “I Know Not Why God’s Wondrous Grace,” “I Will Sing of My Redeemer,” “Sinners Jesus Will Receive,” “There’s A Royal Banner,” and others. He met Daniel Whittle after the train wreck in Ashtabula killed P. P. Bliss and his wife. They became friends and worked together. In 1887, he built a house and retired in Kinsman, Ohio. James McGranahan died July 9, 1907 in Kinsman after a prolonged battle against diabetes. He is buried in New Kinsman Cemetery.
There’s A Royal Banner
This hymn first appeared in Ira Sankey’s Gospel Hymns, No. 5 published in 1887. The original title was “The Banner of the Cross” and included the scriptural reference: “Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth” (Psalm 60:4). The verses not included by Whittle are the following:
v. 2 Tho’ the foe may rage and gather as the flood,
Let the standard be displayed;
And beneath its folds, as soldiers of the Lord.
For the truth be not dismayed!
v. 4 When the glory dawns–‘tis drawing very near–
It is hastening day by day
Then before our King the foe shall disappear
And the Cross the world shall sway.
Praise for the Lord includes v. 4 in its publication but does not include L. O. Sanderson’s verse. Trying to figure out why such changes are made can sometimes be a fruitless and unprofitable expedition. Sometimes when one does learn such, it is very anti-climatic.
The word “banner” appears 17 times in the New King James Version. The term refers to something lifted up, a standard, sail, signal pole or ensign. A banner was a sign of comfort, encouragement, hope, and victory. According to the song, the banner is the cross. Jesus was able to take a symbol of defeat and make it one of victory! The apostle Paul wrote, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18 NKJV.) Paul also reminded the Galatians, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14 NKJV.) The cross is important: “And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby” (Ephesians 2:16 NKJV). We should remember and sing about it and or the hope we have because of what happened on that cross of Golgotha!
--------------------------------------------
SOURCES:
George C. Finely, Editor, Our Garden of Song – A Biography of Song Writers of the Church of Christ and Articles and Other Items of Interest of Our Worship in Song, West Monroe, LA: Howard Publishing Company, 1980.
Jacob Henry Hall. "Major D. W. Whittle.” Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers. New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1914.
Jacob Henry Hall. "James McGranahan.” Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers. New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1914.
V. E. Howard, Editor, and Broadus E. Smith, Associate Editor, Church Gospel Songs & Hymns, Texarkana, TX: Central Printers & Publishers, 1983.
“James McGranahan.” No Pages. Cited 30 December 2017. Online: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_McGranahan.
“James McGranahan.” No Pages. Cited 30 December 2017. Online: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10450924#.
James McGranahan. Pittsburg: Murdoch, Kerr & Co. 1907.
“L. O. Sanderson.” No Pages. Cited 27 January 2019. Online: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/s/a/n/sanderson_lo.htm
“L. O. Sanderson.” No Pages. Cited 27 January 2019. Online: http://www.therestorationmovement.com/sanderson.htm.
“Maj Daniel Webster Whittle.” No Pages. Cited 27 January 2019. Online: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70926218/daniel-webster-whittle
“Daniel Whittle.” No Pages. Cited 27 January 2019. Online: https://hymnary.org/person/Whittle_Daniel
John P. Wiegand, Editor, Praise for the Lord, Nashville, TN: Praise Press, 1997.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment