He rose triumphantly

The section of the book on Christ’s resurrection begins with one of the briefest but clearest and most confident songs on this theme. It originated in the USA, appearing in Britain in CSSM Choruses No.3 (1959) and the combined edition of 1964, where it is credited to the prolific partnership of Oswald J Smith (words) and Bentley D Ackley (music), 1944. It draws on Romans 6:9 and Revelation 1:18 among other NT verses. The Scripture Union children’s book Sing to God retained it in 1971 and CH included it in 2004. The tune HE ROSE TRIUMPHANTLY is as positive as the words.

b Spring Hill, Pa, USA 1872, d Winona Lake, Indiana, USA 1958. As a boy he learned at least 5 different instruments including brass, woodwind and keyboard, taking a part in his father’s 14- piece band. He travelled to New York in 1888 to study stenography (shorthand), becoming organist in Brooklyn and New York churches. In 1907 he joined the Billy Sunday/Homer Rodeheaver evangelistic team as secretary/pianist, staying with them on the road for 8 years and writing new songs for congregation, solo and choir. He wrote over 3000 hymn tunes for the Rodeheaver publishing co, and was awarded an Hon DSacMus degree by the Bob Jones Univ. Several of his compositions feature in CSSM/Scripture Union Choruses (combined edn 1964, still in print); among N American books, 3 tunes appeared in Hymns for the Living Church in 1974. BDA’s younger brother Alfred Henry (1887-1960) is credited with some 1500 songs and hymns, of which the best known is I serve a risen Saviour (He lives). No.454.

b Odessa. Ontario, Canada 1889, d Toronto, Canada, 1986. He founded and (for over 30 years pastored) The People’s Church in Toronto, moving from senior pastor to missionary pastor and visiting every continent as evangelist and preacher/teacher. As a songwriter he partnered the American composer and gospel singer Homer Rodeheaver, as in their popular ‘When Jesus came’, which like others was often used at Billy Graham crusade meetings. No.454.