Tune Req: Religion Is A Fortune

Subject: Tune/Lyric Req: Religion Is A Fortune
From: GUEST,The Chad
Date: 07 Apr 03 - 05:34 PM

Hello all, I was wondering if you could help me out with the melody and lyrics of the spiritual "Religion Is A Fortune".. thank you ;o)

Subject: Lyr Add: RELIGION IS A FORTUNE
From: Sorcha
Date: 07 Apr 03 - 06:17 PM

If these are the correct lyrics and the tune is the same as Faithful Soldier, I have that tune. Here is what I found. the first stanza is from Faithful Soldier, don't know abut the rest. It is not F.Soldier. Tune may be same.

Religion Is a Fortune 319
Tune: William L. Williams, 1850
Lyrics: John Leland, 1793
Meter: 7s,6s (7,6,7,6)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh when shall I see Jesus,
And reign with Him above?
And from the flowing fountain,
Drink everlasting love?

Chorus:

Shout glory, hallelujah.
When we all get to heaven,
We will shout aloud and sing,
Shout glory, hallelujah.
Religion is a fortune,
And heaven is a home,
Shout glory, hallelujah.

When shall I be delivered
From this vain world of sin?
And with my blessed Jesus
Drink endless pleasures in?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Religion Is A Fortune
From: Burke
Date: 07 Apr 03 - 06:25 PM

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Religion Is A Fortune
From: Burke
Date: 07 Apr 03 - 06:27 PM

Sorry about that. I clicked on submit instead of Make a Link.

Here's the music for those works from theOnline Sacre Harp. Melody is the middle staff.

Subject: Lyr Add: RELIGION IS A FORTUNE
From: Burke
Date: 07 Apr 03 - 06:38 PM

Opps! The words as given don't quite fit the music. It's a great example of camp meeting style with Hallelujah's inserted into the text and a chorus on the end. For the music with 1st line as A, 2nd as B--A,A,B,A

Verse 1 (A,A)
Oh when shall I see Jesus,
And reign with Him above?
Shout glory, halle, hallelujah
And from the flowing fountain,
Drink everlasting love?
Shout glory, halle, hallelujah

Chorus: B,A
When we all get to heaven,
We will shout aloud and sing,
Shout glory, halle, hallelujah.
Religion is a fortune,
And heaven is a home,
Shout glory, Halle, hallelujah.

Verse 2
When shall I be delivered
From this vain world of sin?
Shout glory, halle, hallelujah.
And with my blessed Jesus
Drink endless pleasures in?
Shout glory, halle, hallelujah.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Religion Is A Fortune
From: Burke
Date: 07 Apr 03 - 06:46 PM

Go to Honking Duck to hear the Alabama Sacred Harp singers.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Religion Is A Fortune
From: Sorcha
Date: 07 Apr 03 - 08:42 PM

I just wasn't sure, Burke. Thanks!

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Religion Is A Fortune
From: Burke
Date: 07 Apr 03 - 09:51 PM

It looks like there's a completely different spiritual also called "Religion is a Fortune." It's in "Hampton and Its Students. By Two of Its Teachers, Mrs. M. F. Armstrong and Helen W. Ludlow. With Fifty Cabin and Plantation Songs, Arranged by Thomas P. Fenner." at Documenting the American South Page 189, this file is huge! It does have music.


[Oh, religion is a fortune, I raly do believe,
Oh, religion is a fortune, I raly do believe,
Oh, religion is a fortune, I raly do believe,
Whar sabbaths have no end.
Whar ye been, poor mourner, whar ye been so long;
Been low down in de valley for to pray,
An' I aint done praying yet.]

2
Gwine to sit down in de kingdom, I raly do believe,
Whar Sabbaths, &c.,
Gwine to walk about in Zion, I raly do believe,
Whar Sabbaths, &c.
Duo.--Whar ye ben young convert, &c.

3
Gwine to see my sister Mary, I raly do believe,
Whar Sabbaths, &c.
Gwine to see my brudder Jonah, I raly do believe.
Duo.--Whar ye ben good Christian, &c.

4
Gwine to talk-a wid de angels, I raly do believe,
Whar Sabbaths, &c.,
Gwine to see my massa Jesus, I raly do believe,
Whar Sabbaths, &c.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Religion Is A Fortune
From: masato sakurai
Date: 07 Apr 03 - 10:31 PM

Very probably they are not related. George Pullen Jackson did not discuss them in his comparative study, White and Negro Spirituals (1943).

~Masato