What do we sing?Recently I compiled a group of songs that are sung back here in the Mountains of Eastern Kentucky. These songs are picked up by any one singer and learned to the best of their ability by hearing someone else sing them or by making up a tune themselves. We have congregational singing but not choir singing. Any time there is a lull in the meeting thensome fine brother or sister will start something often just at the right time to feed the whole congregation. Often times those songs aren't in a book anywhere and no one knows them except the person singing them. That was the purpose of the songbook to give copies of those songs to others in order for them to be able to be blessed at home with them or in church if they so choose to sing them.
The book consists of songs that have been in the public domain for years, then there are new songs that familiar artists sing, songs of writers in Eastern Ky. who have had them in other song books, and then there are the family songs or old fireside songs that have been sung for generations. Singing is a mixed genre at our church, but as long as it is truthful and spiritual it will surpass.
One of the favorites and sung nearly every church time is Am I a Soldier of the Cross. It is many years old but still one of the best songs of all time, I think, anyway. Then the old family songs like "Don't you want to hear the angels sing?"And another favorite "Mother Dear Never Fear for Your Savior is Near." Just liven up our meetings and tend to touch all those attending.
