Lyr Req: A Little Ship Was on the Sea (D A Thrupp)

Subject: 'A little ship' in Salvation Army books?
From: Haruo
Date: 23 Jul 02 - 12:38 AM

For a couple of years now I've been trying to find the words to "A little ship was on the sea", a children's hymn written in the early 1800s by Dorothy Ann Thrupp. The Esperanto version is in my online hymnal, but I'd like to have the English text. I recently ran across a thread on a British Salvation Army message board (mind you, I'm a Northwest US Baptist; this is far afield for me) that says

Gosh, this request, from Christopher Brooks (UKTalk0451), took me back a few years to Sunday school days! The song 'A little ship was on the sea' was No. 841 in the old Salvation Army Song Book (revised in 1986 - I think). It was written by Dorothy Ann Thrupp and originally published on 1st July 1899 in the Young Soldier Song Book. It can now be found in the Young People's Song Book 'Sing for Joy', No. 48. Unfortunately, not being very musical, I have no idea about the second cornet piece that accompanied the words! Christopher, I'll e-mail you the words personally, rather than put them all on UK Talk. Thanks for the memories!

Captain Stephen Poxon,
Harpenden Corps.

So far I have been unable to get Captain Poxon to send me the words, whatever he may have done for the Christopher he mentions. His superior officer (whose email was in the message board contact info) has twice emailed me that "I'm sure Captain Poxon will send you the words" but it's been several months now and hasn't happened. So I turn to the Mudcat. Anybody here got either of the songbooks referred to? If so, would you mind sending me the words? (Post 'em here, or PM 'em to me, or email, whatever...) British Sally Ann books aren't so easy to track down here in Seattle. Thanks to any who can help!

Liland

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A little ship' - D. Thrupp kids' hymn
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Jul 02 - 01:33 AM

Izziss it?????????

A little ship was on the sea,
It was a pretty sight;
It sailed along so pleasantly,
And all was calm and bright.
The sun was sinking in the west;
The shore was near at hand,
And those on board with hearts at rest,
Thought soon to reach the land.

When lo! a storm began to rise;
The wind grew loud and strong;
It blew the clouds across the skies;
It blew the waves along.
And all but One were sore afraid
Of sinking in the deep;
His head was on a pillow laid,
And He was fast asleep.

"Master, we perish! Master, save!"
They cried; their master heard:
He rose, rebuked the wind and wave,
And stilled them with a word.
He to the storm said, "Peace, be still!"
The raging billows cease;
The mighty winds obey His will,
And all are hushed in peace.

They greatly wondered -- so may we,
And ask as well as they,
Who could this glorious Person be,
Whom winds and seas obey?
O well we know it was the Lord,
The Saviour and the Friend,
Whose care of those who trust His word
Will never, never end.

http://www.wholesomewords.org/children/classics/saved2.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A little ship' - D. Thrupp kids' hymn
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Jul 02 - 01:38 AM

And it appears to be listed as being on a CD-ROM here:

http://www.stainer.co.uk/hymnquest/hq21texts.pdf

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A little ship' - D. Thrupp kids' hymn
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Jul 02 - 01:45 AM

And here is the post from "Christopher." You might hope got the words from Poxon, or he might appreciate having them if the one I found is IT:

From:
http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uktalk/2000/0451.html

UK TALKback
No: 0451, 25 May 2000
From: Christopher Brooks, [e-mail]
'A Little Ship'

This is mainly a simple request for information.

Can anyone supply me with details of the author and the words for the SA children's song "A little ship was on the sea, It was a pretty sight....."?

My father was one of twelve children and they attended an Army sunday school in Fleetwood, Lancashire in the 1930s and 40s and looked back on those sunday school days with great warmth and affection towards the Salvation Army. In later life, at family parties they always spent time singing their favourite SA songs - this music and its messages made a very lasting impact.

"A Little Ship" was a firm favourite - not surprisingly given Fleetwood's major involvement in the national fishing industry at the time of their childhood.

I recently bought a copy of the SA Song Book - and what a treasury it is - but "A Little Ship" was not included.

Many years ago, I was proud to be a member of the Blackpool Citadel YP Band, starting at the age of 10 on second cornet. Am I right in recollecting that the second cornet part for this song was confined to a single repeated note?

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A little ship' - D. Thrupp kids' hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 02:01 PM

What was your source for the text, Susan? And did it give a tune, and if so was it the same tune that's in my online hymnal? (And if not, what was it?) The tune seems better suited to the Esperanto text (which basically has a half-stanza-plus-refrain form), or to the "If you believe and I believe" text it's often set to in recent American hymnals (e.g. you Episcopalianses' Wonder Love & Praise). But the Esperanto version seems to do a good job of condensing the four English stanzas into six half-stanzas.

Liland

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A little ship' - D. Thrupp kids' hymn
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 07:19 PM

As I indicated, source was:

http://www.wholesomewords.org/children/classics/saved2.html

Tuneless and unattributed.

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A little ship' - D. Thrupp kids' hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 07:51 PM

Sorry! I read the whole thread with great interest and missed that one URL.

Liland

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A little ship' - D. Thrupp kids' hymn
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 08:08 PM

But do you think it is the one?

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A little ship' - D. Thrupp kids' hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 08:55 PM

I am guessing it is, but I don't really know. I'm still hoping one of the British 'catters'll have the SA book around and can check there. Actually, somebody somewhere in the US probably has the original publications where Thrupp's hymns for children appeared in the early 1800s. But I haven't found them yet. Maybe that hymn library at Claremont, or the one at Oberlin?

Liland

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A little ship' - D. Thrupp kids' hymn
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 09:26 PM

Well, anyway, I hope this was helpful.

~S~