Loved this kind of singing was introduced to it by my late Mom and Dad Mother Naomi & Deacon William Davis who was born & Raised in North & South Carolina. Use to love when they would sing,clap there hands & stomp there feet With No music RIP Mom & Dad 🥰🥰
Yes, the singing is filled with the spirit of God. It is moving as I listen to it years after this presentation was created for a 1st-year seminary class.
This is so lovely! Brings back memories of growing up in my native church. When the Gospel arrived on our shores, our forefathers did the same thing as the formerly enslaved African-American congregations in the US: they adapted our indigenous music in order to versify the Holy Scriptures and the prayers, experiences, and sermons of past believers, as well as the Catechism. The indigenous spirituals are collectively known as "hiva usu", which means "fabricated song", because the lyrics are not written down on paper, nor do they conform to any particular metrical beat, as with hymns. Rather, the song metre is irregular, and the lyrics are imparted verbally, which mean that you learn the words and tune of each song off by heart as you join the elders in their singing. By the time the older generations of believers die off, you have already memorised the songs and are able to pass them down to the next generation, as well as "fabricate" new ones to address new spiritual issues and topics arising in the present time.
@@ladirectora50 sure thing. These are a few fabricated songs I've managed to locate on RU-vid. The singing style was invented by Methodist Christians (they were the first church to evangelise our country), but have now spread throughout other religious groups (Roman Catholic, Anglican, Mormon, Pentecostal, etc). Nowadays, since the literacy rate is very high, people prefer to record them in writing and pass them down. However, back in the days, the songs were learned through participation. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xDiB0s0LtAc.html - This song is usually sung on Watch-Night services on New Year's Eve, and is a warning for believers to prepare for the approaching day of their death and the Last Judgement as time is running short. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-L43hXU70mlA.html - This song is an encouragement for Christians to persevere through hardships in this world by prayer and faith. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MFc2TpiBLhE.html - This was recorded during a prayer service (you can hear the oldies praying simultaneously in the background). The song refers to the Lord Jesus (Sīsū) as the Light that leads us through the desert path. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bHUbShcT0NQ.html - This song is a summary of the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus on the cross. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OpHkbzhNHFk.html - This is one of the earliest "hiva usu". It refers to how much the Lord Jesus loved us that He would lay down His life for us. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-c9EFgHtQ3Oo.html - This song is about Jesus' sacrifice on Calvary and our salvation, and urges believers to run the race in order to win the crown of life.
I never understood why these type of songs were referred to as Dr. Watts songs. I think that there has to be some kind of connection to these old songs and the Muslim slaves call to prayer.
The reason why this song which is entitled I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say and other songs are titled Dr. watts is because they’re titled after who they’re named after which is Dr. Isaac watts who wrote the majority of those hymns although many of these sacred melodies appear in our hymn books as European arrangements which differs from the stylistic interpretation produced When sung By most African-American congregations
When I go to church now the singing has gotten too modenize and meaningless these traditions mean something because it came directly from slaves who had nothing but God and he heard their cry
Thank you for sharing that! "Guide Me O Thy Great Jehovah" was a mainstay in my Missionary Baptist Church. The old Deacon who use to lead it during devotion for us is gone now and we don't get to sing it anymore..
I admire you, so many of A/Americans do not Know our history. We learned by listening to adults, Who whispered various stories . Let the spirit lead You. Be Blessed
My favorite Devotional song. A CHARGE TO KEEP I HAVE A GOD TO GLORIFY. From ST. John Missionary Baptist Church West palm beach Florida. I bet grandma did not fall Asleep while that Hymn was singing in the Devotional serving. OW
My niece told me for years as a little child she was saying, "Ray Charles to keep . . ." 😂 Because that's what she thought they were saying, but she was singing with all of her heart ❤️
Same here Darius. Our arrangement of this same song is a little different (at least in Chicago religious circles) however, I found this rendition from South Carolina was just as beautiful! This video was done for a class project some years ago and their rendition of a "Dr. Watts" was the best I could find on RU-vid.
