This song seems to be a bluegrass special favorite, but I don't know where it comes from. Anybody know who wrote it, and when?
Here are the lyrics that are in the Rise Up Singing Songbook. Please post other versions if you've got 'em.
IF YOU DON'T LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
(Carl Story ???)
There are many people who will say they are Christians
And who live like Christians on the seventh day
But from Monday morning til the coming Sunday
They will fight their neighbor all along the way
CHORUS
O you don't love God if you don't love your neighbor
If you gossip about him, if you don't have mercy
If he gets into trouble and you don't try to help him
If you don't love your neighbor, then you don't love God
In the Holy Bible in the Book of Matthew
Read the 18th chapter from the 21st verse
Jesus plainly tells us that you must have mercy
There's a special warning in the 35th verse
There's a God in heaven and you've but to love him
If you want salvation and a Home on High
If you say that you love him when you hate your neighbor
Then you don't have religion, you just told a lie
Here's a recording by Rhonda Vincent:
As far as I can tell, the songwriter is Carl Story, but I haven't found verification of that. Here's his recording:
One more recording that I really like, by the "Church Sisters":
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sj