Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ) - Kum Ba Yah

Topic: Kumbaya 1955-1961
The Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ) was the second religious group to publish “Kumbaya” after it appeared in the American Camping Association’s Lets All Sing in 1958. [1]  As mentioned in several posts, the denomination broke from Presbyterians following the Cane Ridge Revival, and was distinguished by its refusal to use musical instruments. [2]

Its Chapbook was intended for youth group meetings, as well as summer camps.  As such, it contained more religious material than a typical Cooperative Recreation Service (CRS) publication or the Southern Baptist Convention collection mention in the post for 18 June 2023.  Just over a quarter of the songs in the ACA songbook were religious and nearly 44% in Songs for Fun and Fellowship.  More than 75% of the ones in the Christian Church book had sacred content.

The denomination’s musical aesthetic was formed in the 1800s when the two denominations, the Christian Church and the Disciples of Christ, were spreading.  More than 60% of the hymns are from that century, with less than a quarter from the 1900s.  The earlier ones were written by Martin Luther, [3] Isaac Watts, [4] and Charles [5] and Samuel Wesley. [6]

Almost none are popular religious songs from the late 1800s [7]  Instead, like CRS and the Baptists, the editorial committee used spirituals as a less solemn alternative to hymns.  They represented about 30% of the ACA songbook, and 18% of this one. [8]  The number in the Baptist book represented 16% of the total.

The editors obviously expected the songbook to be used in camps: it contained eleven graces while the Baptists only had one.  However, sung graces were not an indigenous traditions: six were in Let’s All Sing. [9]

The songbook wished to include “fun songs,” but again had no tradition to draw upon.  Of the 31 secular songs with no religious content, 22, or nearly 60%, were in the CRS songbook.  “Kumbaya” falls into the group of songs it considers secular, but, in fact, have religious content.

The editors took their version from the Song Sampler published by CRS in 1956. [10]  It not only had the same headnote on an Angolan origin and the same pronunciation footnote, but it italicized “Kum Ba Yah” that way Jane Keen had.  Let’s All Sing said it was a “Spiritual,” and had no footnote or special typography.

The song was accepted: it was one of the ones that was reprinted in Chapbook 2 in 1966.  That collection “picks up some of the best songs, hymns, and worship resources from The Chapbook.”

Performers
Vocal Soloist: single melodic line
Instrumental Accompaniment: none
 
Credits
African (Angola)

Notes on Lyrics
Language: English

Pronunciation: koom-bah-yah, like that published by CRS Song Sampler

Verses: those published by Cooperative Recreation Service (CRS) in Song Sampler – kumbaya, praying, crying, singing

Pronoun: someone
Term for Deity: Lord
Basic Form: four-verse song

Notes on Music
Opening Phrase: 1-3-5; same melody as that published by CRS
Time Signature: 3/4
Tempo: slowly
Key Signature: no sharps or flats
Basic Structure: strophic repetition
Singing Style: one syllable to one note except for final “Lord”

Notes on Performance
Cover: 4.25" x 5.75" spiral bound; drawings of thee Gothic church windows enclosing music notes

Color Scheme: white with red print; windows and music notes in shades of black, white, and gray

Plate: exactly like that in CRS’s Song Sampler; this includes italicizing “Kum Ba Yah”

Audience Perceptions
The person who owned the copy I purchased online checked “Kumbaya” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain” in pencil; “Are You Sleeping” was checked in ink.  The C-F-G chords were written in; this is the only song so marked.

Notes on Performers
Guin Tuckett worked for the Christian Board of Education from 1953 until 1990.  Born Guinevere Ream in Indiana, [11] she was a descendant of Johann Eberhard Reihm who migrated to Conestoga, Pennsylvania, from the Palatine in 1717. [12]  Count Zinzendorf, leader of the Moravians in Germany, stayed with Eberhard in 1742. [13]  When her branch joined the Christian Church is unknown, but her father’s mother was a member when the family lived in Nebraska [14].

Besides the Martin Luther hymn, the Chapbook contains lyrics set to old German tunes.  The setting for Saint Francis of Asisi’s “All Creatures of Our God and King” is from Geistliche Kirchengesäng. [15]  The tune for “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” is in Straslund Gesanbuch. [16]  The melody for “Fairest Lord Jesus” is from Schlesische Volkslieder. [17]

Availability
Songbook: “Kum Ba Yah.”  150 in Christian Youth Chapbook: Hymns, Fun Songs, Worship Resources for Young People.  Saint Louis: Bethany Press, 1955.

Songbook: “Kum Ba Yah.”  151 in Chapbook 2, edited by a “joint youth committee from The American Baptist Board of Publication and Education and the publishing and program divisions of the Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ) chaired by Guin Tuckett.  Saint Louis: The Bethany Press, 1966, and Valley Forge, Pennsylvania: The Judson Press, 1966.

End Notes
1.  Let’s All Sing is discussed in the post for 4 June 2023.

2.  The Christian Church and Disciples of Christ are mentioned in a number of posts, including one for 8 November 2020.  The Disciples of Christ in Pamlico County, North Carolina, were mentioned in posts about Minnie Lee, especially the one for 26 January 2020.

3.  “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”
4.  “Jesus Shall Reign.”
5.  “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” and “Love Divine, All Love Exceeding.”
6.  “The Church’s One Foundation.”

7.  The one possibility is “Take Time To Be Holy,” which was published by Ira Sankey. [18] Sankey is discussed in the post for 17 January 2021.

8.  The church segregated after the Civil War, but did not expel freed slaves as the Methodists and Baptists did.  Its attitudes toward Blacks are mentioned in the posts for 18 July 2021 and 30 October 2022.

9.  “Chimes Grace,” the Girl Scouts’ “God Has Created a New Day,” “Gratitude Grace,” “O Give Thanks,” “Praise for Bread,” and “Round of Thanks.”  The Baptists adopted the “Round of Thanks.”

10.  Song Sampler, number 1, is discussed in the posts for 31 July 2022 and 7 August 2022.

11.  Lynn.  “Guinivere (Tuckett) ‘Guin’ Ream Stemmler.”  Find a Grave website, 24 October 2009.

12.  John Ream. “Ream Family History: 9 Generations.”  His website.

13.  Norman Whisler Ream.  “Riehm-Ream Genealogy.”  1930.  248.  Reprinted by John Ream.

14.  “Mrs. J. S. Ream Funeral Held.”  The Minden Courier, Minden, Nebraska, 27 Mary 1948.  11.  Reprinted by Rose Marie Brown on “Maggie Mae Simon Ream.”  Find a Grave website, 7 August 2013.

15.  Friedrich Spee.  Geistliche Kirchengesäng.  Kohn: 1623.
16.  Ernewertes Gesangbuch.  Stralsund: 1665.

17.  August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben.  Schlesische Volkslieder mit Melodien.  Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, 1842.

18.  Laura Lee Leathers.  “Who Wrote the Hymn ‘Take Time to be Holy’?”  Christianity website, 5 December 2022.