Knowing the Words Helps

Technically, one plays the music the way it’s written; holding notes and cutting them according to the composer’s intention.  Keeping exact time for every bar of music is also part of a musician’s skill.  There’s also something besides, which is inherent in our minds.  It is the rhythmic beat that carries the music along and helps to give expression to its message.

Along with this, is the benefit from knowing the words for the song you are playing because they keep you intent on the line of music.  Playing the words is far more satisfying than just playing notes, and if it’s a hymn that’s being played, the words, known as the lyrics, will carry a message that is even more understandable than the words of a well thought-out message of a practiced minister.

That is what I want to relay to you.  It is the need to remember when playing this beautiful hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” that I’ve loved since I was a boy, that music is a language everyone understands.  Think of the words you are playing, and that your bagpipes are singing while people are listening.  Some people will hear the words in German, others in Spanish or French, or some other language, depending on the language that is familiar, and yet, each time when your pipes are playing, the words may be in English, but someone else is hearing them in his or her own native language.

In this hymn, think as you play, “What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.”  Those who know the words will hear those words.  “Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?”  Think as you play, “Oh, what needless pain we bear, because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.” “In His arms He’ll take and shield thee; thou wilt find a solace there.”

There is so much depth of feeling and emotion in this hymn, and you are telling those who listening, that you know Jesus personally, the One person who knows your deepest sorrows and weaknesses, and He has promised to share your burdens.  In your effort to share God’s wonderful promises with others, you will probably feel deep emotions yourself, and be assured that the time will come when “there will be no need for prayer,” for it will be in glory, that you will meet your Saviour personally.  Here are the words to that beautiful hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”  Play them with all your heart for others to listen.

Playing in Harmony

 It is wonderful to play harmony in the band.  I would love to see and hear more pipers enjoying this experience.  Regularly, I will play harmony for such tunes as, “The Green Hills of Tyrol,” “O Rowan Tree,” “Wings,” and “Amazing Grace.”  I intend to play harmony for many more tunes, and will introduce them if anyone is desirous.  With this present blog, I hope to introduce you to a favourite hymn that I have loved since I was a lad.  I was taught to sing it, by my mother, who knew all the words, just as she did for many other hymns, such as, “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder” and “In the Garden.”  The roll has already been called for my mother, and my dad, as well as for two of my sisters.  I truly want to share with you, the hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”  That’s because, as you will see from the words of the hymn, it is “a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.”  You will need a piper friend to play together with you, and you will appreciate what it is to have a friend.  Even so, there is no dearer Friend than Jesus, who “will all our sorrows share.”

One of my dear friends is George Delanghe, a piper in Las Vegas.  He and I have worked together to arrange the accompanying harmony to “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”  So far, we haven’t been able to play it together, but we’re both anxious for you to find a friend with whom you can play this hymn.  Perhaps, you will consider the words too, and assimilate them meaningfully in your own life.  We have more beautiful hymns if you would like to practice perfect timing and mutual expression, tuning your ears to the best harmony you can produce.  Don’t overlook the need to have your pipes tuned to perfection.

Like many hymns, there is a story.  The author, Joseph Scriven, was about to be married.  His bride-to-be was drowned the day before the ceremony could take place.  Later on, when he was about to marry another lady, she also died.  He lived the rest of his life trusting Jesus to help him bear his grief.

Music For Morning Church Service

I am sharing the three hymns I mentioned in my last blog post. I've played them on occasion, to begin a Sunday morning's church service. I would start at the back of the sanctuary and march in with the hymn, "Teach Me To Pray." At the front, I would turn and march several times across in front of the Remembrance Table. After completing the hymn twice over, I would begin "The Lord's Prayer," at first playing almost hesitatingly, because I would be playing to God, and would be gaining confidence in "speaking" to our Heavenly Father. With confidence coming from my assurance that Jesus taught me how to pray, I would play with an even time, and with considerable feeling. Immediately, the words to the prayer would be in my head and the timing would be precise. The music would develop to the climactic point. The people would have been singing the words silently, with emotion, immersed in their quiet singing of the Lord's Prayer, just as I would be when playing those words, "For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever, Amen."

And, because playing "The Lord's Prayer," means being in direct communication with our Lord, while my pipes are "singing" the words that Jesus taught me, I am energized and it causes me to want to continue into a hymn that's right for marching out. "Singing I Go" expresses that eagerness. It is a hymn full of life, which is exactly how praying "The Lord's Prayer" prepares a person for the morning's service and for the days ahead.

These three hymns are from several of the hymnbooks for pipers in the series, The Church Piper. They are available from Henderson's Distributors.  Other medleys for call to worship are applicable, and I could be pleased to assist enthusiastic pipers to prepare their own call to worship.

The Lord's Prayer

When we pray, we are actually speaking to God, and Jesus has given us a wonderful prayer as a model. It is rich in its teaching and brilliant in its significance. God has given us the right to address Him. Jesus had a unique relationship with God. We are co-heirs with Jesus and He encourages us to approach God with tremendous freedom. He assured us that, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask.”

As you pray this prayer, or play it on the pipes for call to worship or at a wedding, think of the words throughout. Prayer is sacred, because we are speaking to God. We come before the Lord in prayer, and it’s from our heart. We should think of our Almighty God as our gracious Heavenly Father. In prayer, God is to be exalted as our Heavenly Father. Nevertheless, He lives here, amongst us. It is fitting and appropriate to reverence and honor God as most holy, when we pray. Our prayer was fashioned by Jesus, so that God will be hallowed. Jesus taught us to say, “Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.”

We are about half way through The Lord’s Prayer before we even begin to ask God for anything, and we haven’t said a thing about ourselves. We haven’t admitted our sinfulness to God, but have asked, “Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” At this point in The Lord’s Prayer, we have actually aligned ourselves with God and His principals for us. Conscious of our many faults, we realize the necessity of admitting our transgressions and asking forgiveness, so we can speak to God unhindered. We’ve asked for sustenance and simultaneously have asked for forgiveness, knowing that in His fairness, God would only consider our prayers for sustenance once we have asked His forgiveness from those to whom we have been indebted.

Praying the first part of the prayer, helps us to know how to pray in the second part. The first part acknowledges to whom we are speaking, and it is most certainly to God, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. Certainly, we can’t live in variance to His will and still ask Him for something, We certainly can’t ask God to forgive us if we can’t forgive those who have sinned against us. This next part of the prayer, is to ask God to prevent us from getting into a situation where we will falter, but be delivered from the Evil One. “Lead us not into temptation,” is to ask God’s help in making us less tempted to act in discordance with His will. “But deliver us from evil, for Thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, Forever, and Ever, Amen.” Here, we have admitted our need for willpower to avoid evil. Once we are able to avoid things that are evil, we can be depended upon to make our principals correspond with those descriptive of Heaven.

We must always keep in mind that God is a loving God and that He will listen intently to our prayers, not reluctantly, but with willingness. God listens if we come before Him with genuine love in our heart; that we remember what Jesus said when He gave us the most important commandment of all. It is, “to love your Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind, and to love your neighbour as yourself. He gave us this wonderful gift; “The Lord’s Prayer.”

Prayer is not just for the purpose of asking God for things, but to reverence Him, admit our transgressions and ask forgiveness. It should help us to maintain a relationship with Him that would facilitate communication and assurance that God will listen to our prayers. James, who was Jesus’ brother, told us that the fervent prayers of a righteous person would accomplish much. Jesus said we should pray believing, and our prayers would be answered. Still, we must have faith that the prayer is reasonable.

Two of my favourite hymns are, “Teach Me to Pray,” and “The Lord’s Prayer.” After playing them as a medley, I love to play, “Singing I Go,” as it is most appropriate. After the two hymns are played for call to worship, the third is an excellent way to exit from the sanctuary.

Pay Or I Play

An Interesting Coincidence

After church service last Sunday, we stayed for a noon luncheon. It was part of a farewell for our retiring pastor and his wife. My wife and I chose a table near the back, and soon, another couple sat to my left. I was at the end of the table and my wife was to my right. We enjoyed the conversation, and after a while I learned that this lady had an integral part in organizing a Christmas parade each December. It is called, “Christmas on the Peninsula.” Plans have already been made for this year’s parade and it would be led as it has been in three previous years’ parades, by an outstanding pipe band.

Suddenly, she was surprised to recognize me as the piper who played for our Remembrance Day service, and she asked me quizzically, if Christmas carols could be played on the bagpipes. I thought it was a remarkable question, because I’ve heard others ask if “Amazing Grace” is the only hymn one can play on the pipes. I responded, saying, “Of course they can, and I published a book of arrangements for pipers to play Christmas Carols.

The lady seemed astounded. She said the pipe band was invited four times to play in that Christmas parade and never once, played a Christmas Carol. “I’m so glad I met you,” she said, "because I‘m going to ask you to work with me, to provide the music for this pipe band to play in the next Christmas parade.”

Now, wasn’t that remarkable, with over 200 people at the pastor’s farewell dinner, this lady found herself sitting next to The Church Piper! I’m confident that next year, the pipe band will be playing Christmas Carols.

I would be most interested to hear from pipers and drummers who have played in Christmas parades. Would you let others know what Christmas selections you chose for marching? A tune such as, “We Three Kings," which is in 6/8 time, would be wonderful in a Christmas parade, as would, “Joy to the World,” in Common time, or “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” in 4/4. I can imagine the thrill of the people along the way, and for those playing in the pipe band, as these Christmas songs ring out. Let us know your experiences and suggestions.

 Would you say this was an interesting experience, or was it just meant to be? Keith MacDonald, The Church Piper.

Remembrance Day in Canada

In Canada, Remembrance Day is celebrated on November the 11th. Customarily, we respect a moment of silence at 11 AM, to reflect upon the memory of our soldiers who gave their lives so we can enjoy freedom in our beautiful country. Traditionally, a piper plays a lament. There is a silence broken by a reveille by the piper. Military tradition dictates, “The Flowers of the Forest,” as the lament. I regularly played that selection in The Army and Navy Legion Pipes and Drums in Winnipeg. In churches, schools and care homes, other music recognizable to those attending, is generally chosen.

My choice of a hymn for our church service this November, was “Highland Cathedral.” A soloist sang, “I Cannot Tell,” to the melody, “Londonderry Air.” Both were beautiful tributes to our military personnel. This was the Sunday before Remembrance Day. White Rock Baptist Church has excellent acoustics and the music was projected to Heaven. The Surrey Firefighters’ Pipe Band, in British Columbia is the one to which I belong, and our members performed in the morning of November 11th, at the cenotaph. A short parade to the Legion followed, where a program was presented. Having been asked to play at Westminster House for seniors, I didn’t participate with the band. The moment of silence at the home was observed precisely at eleven o’clock. The lament was played a few minutes before, and the reveille after the silence. The lament chosen for this occasion, was “The Lament of the MacDonalds,” because it involved an instance of hostilities not to be forgotten. It is the saddest song I know, and there is no other instrument able to convey the deep emotion like the pipes. “Highland Cathedral” was appropriate for the reveille. There wasn’t a trumpet player, so the piper took both parts in the program.

At Westminster House Seniors’ Home, war veterans were given an opportunity to speak about the branch of service in which they participated and to say something about their experiences. Some were well over 90; both men and women.

The second Seniors’ home, Morgan Place, required a piper for their afternoon service on Remembrance Day, which was convenient. The program was well organized. A Mountie was present in his red serge coat, riding breeches, high leather boots, and Stetson. A lady spoke on the significance of Remembrance Day. Singing and a few comments by residents rounded the program. “Amazing Grace” was requested and the lament was, “Dark Island,” one of the most beautiful and expressive songs I know. A lady said afterwards, that she recognized “Dark Island.” In closing, I played, “Highland Cathedral,” and I marched out with it, along with the Mountie, who looked magnificent and smart, reminding everyone of the considerable training that is typical of the military and our police force.

Our pipe band was enlisted by a local High School, to play for two services of remembrance a few days before the 11th. The school consists of approximately 1600 students, and required two consecutive services to accommodate them all in the auditorium. The band led the color party of students, and also played several numbers. An elderly war veteran spoke at both sessions, and videos showed the horror of wars. Students were most attentive and respectful as they thought of the soldiers who lost their lives. “We remember them,” and pray, that wars will no longer involve our dear sons and daughters, to enable us to live in peace. We are thankful to all who gave their lives for our freedom. I am honored to participate in these sacred remembrance services, to help families remember their dear ones, who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sake.