BARITONE IN THE BARN

(Please read “The Refuge” if you haven't already.)

We had retreated to the barn for refuge during the violent thunder storm. Waiting for the storm to pass, we settled comfortable on a mound off hay that had been move to d the barn from the hay field. After several minutes the rain began to slacken and that iconic sound of a soft rain on the tin roof was a welcome sound. Conversations mellowed between the three adults: Dad, Uncle Troy, one of dad's employees and Wayne and me, because we didn't have to yell to be heard. We soon became silent and just sat there drinking in the now soothing sounds of the light rain and the smell of hay where we reclined.

But soon, the conversation between Dad and Uncle Troy started up again. This time it was not about the storm or the day to day activities. Their dialogue turned to yesteryear early in the twentieth century. They both were young men and their lives were so much different from the then present time. It was not about interesting subjects like World War I or the hard life in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains but instead they began to reminisce about church and the old hymns that were used in the day. Dad redirected the conversation to others of us and said, “Troy has a beautiful singing voice.” Then he continued, “Troy, sing one of the old songs for us. “Oh, Johnny, I don't know if I can, its been so long since I even tried to sing. and I probably couldn't remember enough words of a song to sing it”. Dad wouldn't give up. “Go ahead, you can.  Give it a try.” Uncle Troy sat silent for a moment or two, then he looked up to the rafters of the barn and began to hum an old tune. He cleared his voice and tried again to hit just the right note, as he looked up again. I think that the precious gift of memory carried him back, back to another day when the large mountain family went to Sunday Meeting and joined in the singing before the preacher mounted the podium. He started out in low tones at first, then slowly building volume until his rich baritone voice filled the barn and echoed off the tin roof. We were all amazed and blessed as he sang:

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I cause thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake.

The third and fourth verse are seldom ever sung today even if you are blessed to attend a church that still uses the old hymns. Take a second look at them. He sang a couple more old songs which I had never heard.

Sometimes I wonder if these old hymns will be lost forever and that sometime in the future if our now young generation will ever know what powerful source of strength and encouragement they were to past generations.

I treasure that day in the barn and the storm that drove us there. Although Uncle Troy, was not attending church at the time, I was convinced that he had had a relationship with the Lord and those hymns took him back to a special time in the past.