Lyr Req: Hoisted High the Flag of Love

Subject: Chorus - She Hoisted High the Flag of Love
From:
Date: 18 Aug 00 - 08:02 AM

I heard a beautiful song last night. The only part of it that I can remember is one line out of the chorus.

The line goes, "She Hoisted High The Flag of Love".

Does anyone know the title, and/or the rest of the song?

Subject: Lyr Add: STARBUCK'S COMPLAINT
From: GUEST,Nancy King
Date: 19 Aug 00 - 01:41 PM

I wonder if you're referring to "Starbuck's Complaint," which The Boarding Party recorded on their 2nd Folk-Legacy album, "Fair Winds and a Following Sea." The first line of its chorus is "See hoisted high the flag of love..."

The words--two stanzas of poetry and one shorter verse--were found inscribed in scrimshaw on a whale's tooth at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in Massachusetts. Jonathan Eberhart and Bob Hitchcock set them to two old tunes, using the shorter of the poems as a chorus. There's a lot more detail in the album notes. "Fair Winds" is available on cassette from Folk-Legacy (FSI-109).

I'm going to try to transcribe the words here, hoping to recall the instructions posted a couple of weeks ago about getting the line breaks right. I also hope this is the song you're thinking of! --Nancy

STARBUCK'S COMPLAINT

While on the sea, my days are spent
In anxious care, oft discontent.
No social circles here are found;
Few friends to virtue here abound.
I think of home, sweet home, denied,
With her I love near by my side.

See hoisted high the flag of love,
By heavenly breezes waved.
Here, sailors, stop, and orders hear.
Obey and you'll be saved.

When will kind fortune set me free,
That I can quit the boistrous sea?
I love my friends, I love the shore,
I long to leave the ocean's roar.
Then home, sweet home, shall be my pride,
With her I love near by my side.

(Chorus)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hoisted High the Flag of Love
From: Levana Taylor
Date: 01 Nov 21 - 01:07 AM

20 years later, huge numbers of old periodicals have been digitized and put on line, allowing me to add more information to this thread! The "chorus" of "Starbuck's Complaint" is from a "Mariners' Hymn" which appeared in print in the Christian Herald and Seaman's Magazine for July 14, 1821. The account of the presentation of the hymn at the Mariners' Church in Philadelphia that January makes clear that it had been written specifically for that occasion. Unfortunately there is no indication of the tune to which it was sung at that time. The hymn was twice (1829 and 1836) reprinted in the Sailors' Magazine of the American Seamen's Friend Society, again with no tune indicated (since it is in common meter, any number of favorite melodies would do).

I think the original article may be worth quoting in full.

THE MARINERS' CHURCH.

On Sabbath morning, 21st January last, a new flag, the signal for meeting, was hoisted at the Mariner's Church in Philadelphia. This flag was procured by the exertions of Miss Elizabeth White and sister, of the Northern Liberties, in collecting subscriptions for the purpose. It was made by Mr. Dunton at a very low charge, and gratuitously painted by Mr. Woodside; so that with the money obtained, besides the flag, several chairs have been purchased for the use of the Church, and some tracts for distribution.

The flag is in size, 13 by 8 feet, with an azure field, and white border. The symbols are—on the top, the morning and evening stars; in the centre, a dove on the wing, with an olive branch in her mouth; and at the bottom, an anchor. Inscription—"MARINERS' CHURCH."

The Rev. Mr. Eastburn, the stated preacher, addressed the congregation from the four last verses of the 6th chap. Hebrews. He spoke of the stability of the Christian's refuge as predicated of God's immutability; and of the necessity for sinners actively to endeavour to obtain salvation by "flying for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them in the gospel." He illustrated the import of the doctrine by refering to the emblems on the flag; that as the evening star indicated the approaching darkness of night so the shades of death were advancing; and as the morning star denoted the dawn of day, so the light of everlasting day would rise upon every soul, who, like the dove that "found no rest for the sole of her foot," would fly to Jesus Christ, the Ark of safety, and thus become personally interested in that heavenly hope, which, as an anchor, would secure him from shipwreck and insure him an abundant entrance into the haven of rest.

The following hymn, of which a number of printed copies were presented by Mr. Mentz, was sung on the occasion.

A MARINERS' HYMN, C. M.

Presented to the Rev. JOSEPH EASTBURN, a Pilot of JESUS CHRIST, the Captain of his Salvation, and now cruising in the offing of Eternity.

Written by the Rev. J. W. Scott and sung by the Congregation in the Mariners' Church in Philadelphia, on Sabbath, 21st January, when the new Flag of the Church was hoisted.

While o'er the swelling sea of life
   Poor sinners heedless sail,
Their guilty passions drive them far,
   Till cheering prospects fail.

Then gloomy storms and fearful roar
   Of tempests threaten death;
And yet all hands despise the name
   Of GOD who gives them breath.

But oh! how merciful! how good
   Is He whom sinners hate!
He kindly sends his Pilots out
   To warn them of their fate.

Along the dang'rous coast of Time,
   The Pilots hail each crew—
"The gulf-stream sets to endless wo,
   "The dismal port's in view!

"See hoisted high the flag of love,
   "By heav'nly breezes waved!
"Here Sailors stop and orders hear,—
   "Obey, and you'll be saved.

"The Captain of Salvation calls,
   "O wretched Seamen stay!
"Now change your course and heav'nward steer,
   "The Pilots show the way.

"Then, like the stars of morn and eve
   "Your future days shall prove;
"Nor storms of death your hope destroy,
   "For CHRIST your souls will love.

"The dove of peace portends the land
   "Of joy and holy rest;
"There JESUS dwells and makes his saints
   "With him forever blest.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hoisted High the Flag of Love
From: Levana Taylor
Date: 01 Nov 21 - 10:47 AM

Opinion in afterthought: It's a pity this dull, condescending hymn isn't worthy of the wonderful melody the Boarding Party created for its one preserved verse! [But the scrimshaw-maker likely didn't agree with me...]