Upon Judea's Plains

Upon Judea's Plains

Our grandfather, or Granduncle, as the case may be, or for any non family members who follow this blog, Elder Bruce R. McConkie, wrote two hymns, that as far as I know have never been set to music.

At this Christmas Season, I once again find myself wishing that someone, with more musical talent than I have,  would set this Christmas carol to music.  

The first of the two is a Christmas Carol:

Upon Judea's Plains

By Elder Bruce R. McConkie

Of the Council of the Twelve

Ensign, July, 1973

I stood upon Judea’s plains,

And heard celestial sounds and strains;

I heard an angel, free from sin,

Announce the birth of David’s kin.

On shepherds watching sheep by night,

There came a shining, glorious light,

As holy choirs from heaven’s dome

Saw God’s own Son make clay his home.

And voices sweet sang this reprise:

“To God on high, let praise arise;

And peace, good will to men on earth;

This is the day of Jesus’ birth.”

To me there came this witness sure:

“He is God’s Son, supreme and pure;

To earth he came, my soul to save

From sin and death and from the grave.”

The other is almost a sacrament hymn, but I'm not sure how it would fit whether in a hymn book or what not.  It is the voice of an apostle:

In An Upper Room

By Elder Bruce R. McConkie

We sat at meat, our souls in pain,

For wicked men our Lord had slain:

We’d seen him on the cross of doom;

His body lay in Joseph’s tomb.

Then by our board, he stood once more:

He lives, he lives—now as afore!

He ate, then drank; we saw, then felt,

As at his feet in awe we knelt.

A calm command to Thomas came:

“Feel thou my hands, they are the same

As when I hung upon the tree,

And suffered death for me and thee.”

To me he said, in solemn tones:

“My body feel; ’tis flesh and bones.”

My soul cried out: “Bow ’neath his rod;

Acclaim him Savior, Lord, and God!”

I can't help but wonder, personally, what kind of vision might have accompanied these two hymns.  It certainly does seem to me that, degree by degree, the Lord was adding to his Apostolic witness.

You can hear the original here.