No. 161 Christian Prospect or There’s a Better Day, Soh 323
Heptatonic ionian, mode 3 A + b (I II III IV V VI VII)
We have our trials here below,
O glory hallelujah!
We have our trials here below,
O glory hallelujah!
There’s a better day a-coming,
Hallelujah!
There’s a better day a-coming,
Hallelujah!
A few more beating winds and rains,
O glory hallelujah!
A few more beating winds and rains,
O glory hallelujah!
And the winter will be over,
Hallelujah!
And the winter will be over,
Hallelujah!
A few more rising and setting suns
And we’ll all cross over Jordan.
I feel no ways like getting tired,
I am making for the harbor.
I hope to get there by and by,
My home is over Jordan.
There are four more stanzas. The song is found also in KNH 52. Both Walker, compiler of the Southern Harmony, and Davisson, compiler of the Kentucky Harmony, laid claim to its authorship.
They were doubtlessly both recorders of this same piece of unwritten music. That was in the 1830’s. See the first phrase of ‘Glorishears’ (Sharp, Morris Dances Set 5, No. 6) for melodic similarities. The above song, both tune and words, inspired the composition of ‘Christian’s Hope’ in this collection. A negro remake of tune and words is in Dett, p. 36.