Dear Charlie,

Once again we meet on this crossroads where Mudcat meets Sacred Harp.

For once, I am seriously considering going to the New England convention, and now I will not be able to meet this woman who was so important in bringing Sacred Harp back to the Northeast, (where it started during the colonial era), 25 years ago. I KNOW how much work Susan and Dot must have done for all those New England conventions in Hartford, because I have been on the planning committee, and been the person in charge of the food, for each of our two Keystone Conventions.

Perhaps if I do make it to the convention, I'll see you there, Charlie. I know she'll be remembered, and many songs will be sung for her.

Now the time has come to grieve for those we love.....

Could there be a way to meet another day?...

Sing with all your might into the dark of night
Hope springs anew with each living breath.

Crossing the river now, crossing the river now,
Vict'ry shines through our words above!
Loudly our voices rise mounting up to the skies,
Across the flood to the ones we love.

...selected lines from Mount Hope, a shaped note hymn written by Daniel Hertzler in 1998.

Mary McCaffrey