To the relief of the people of St. George, July 24, 1873 dawned slightly cooler than the day before. Work had been progressing on the Temple — as much as possible during a heat wave — but stopped for Pioneer Day. To celebrate the occasion, Charles Lowell Walker had composed an anthem, a poem about the Relief Society, and some toasts.
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Like his song “Marching to Dixie,” Charles set the anthem to music about General Sherman, in this case the hymn “Hold the Fort,” performed below by a choir from Ottowa, Illinois, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first Lincoln-Douglas debate.
Lo a Temple long expected.
In St George shall stand
By God’s faithfull saints erected
Here in Dixie Land.Chorus
Halleluyah, halleluyah
Let Hossannahs ring.
Heaven shall echo back our praises,
Christ shall reign as king.Th’ noble task we hail with pleasure.
Coming from our head,
Brings Sa[l]vation, life eternal
For our kindred dead.
Chorus….Lo, the Prison doors are open,
Millions hail the day,
Praying, hoping for Baptism,
In the appointed way.
Chorus.Glory, glory, Hallelujah!
Let the structure rise,
Rear aloft those noble towers,
Pointing to the skies.
Chorus…. ((This is just half of the song, and the Relief Society poem is also longer than included here. The picture of the St. George Temple around 1877 is from the Church History Library, PH 8601.))
After a speech by St. George pioneer William Carter, known in town as the first of the 1847 pioneers to plow a furrow in the Salt Lake Valley, followed by music by the brass band, Walker read a poem for the Relief Society, “By request of the acting Presidentess, which was well received considering the short notice I had.”
It has been said with propriety,
That this noble society,
Has gained notoriety,
In benevolent acts.They have ever been willing,
Day or night toiling,
To make happy and smiling,
The needy and poor.They find sweet employ,
To administer joy,
And thus misery destroy,
Do these angels on earth….God bless them forever
For each good endevour,
For we know they are clever,
The dear little things.They’ll reach heaven’s gate,
And go in right straight,
For such is their fate,
The dear creatures.
After Miles P. Romney made a speech on behalf of the Sunday School and after more singing and music, the toasts were read out, probably accompanied by sweet Dixie wine.
Our Temple
May peace abound within thy walls
And glory round thee shine:
May Zions workmen, one and all,
Gain blessings at thy shrine.The Temple Quarrymen
God bless the quarrymen and tools,
And faithful “Ed” with his four mules.The Pioneers.
The Pioneers of forty seven.
May every last one go to heaven.Mormon Battallion
God bless the old “battallion Boys”
May God increase their peace and joys.The Hot Weather.
The cause of the heat, says a friendly old bummer,
Is the lack of our Snow Storms during the summer.Pres. Gardner.
May his young shoots increace
And his grafts be united;
May the blessing of Peace
Make him glad and delighted.Pres of the U S
Oh: Grant that Grant may never grant,
his grants to us again.
And may the grants He granted us,
Be granted Grant again.
More great stuff. Love that last toast!
Yes, enjoying these, too. Walker certainly seemed to enjoy working with words.
Working? I think he enjoyed playing with them!
This is a fun series, Amy — thanks for posting.
Laughing.
“For we know they are clever
the dear little things.”
His diary really is a treasure, “dear little things” and all.
I think it’s worth quoting here Ardis’s introduction on Facebook the other day: “Every town, every people, needs a poet and songmeister to sing what can’t be spoken.” And Charles Lowell Walker did that.
This entry is a keeper! Copying to my Mormon music files.