Introduction to the Music by the Hillsdale College Chamber Choir 
Bill Campbell
Secretary, The Philadelphia Society

The Philadelphia Society
Grand Rapids Regional Meeting
November 10, 2000

It is my very distinct pleasure to be able to introduce to you the Hillsdale College Chamber Choir under the vigorous direction of Jim Holleman.  The music that we have jointly chosen is extremely rich in that the lyrics reflect perfectly the theme of this meeting, In God We Trust.  He is going to perform three pieces by William Billings, Chester, When Jesus Wept and Be Glad then America.  These three pieces were adapted to a magnificent symphonic version, the New England Triptych, by the gifted modern composer William Schuman. Schuman’s Variations on ‘America’ based on Charles Ives is also a very stirring patriotitc piece.  

Billings was a friend of Sam Adams and Paul Revere, a unique American gifted eccentric, one of whose mottoes was that “Nature is the best Dictator.” As if foreseeing the nature of jazz, he also said, “I think it best for every Composer to be his own Carver.” 

The lyrics to Chester start, 

Let tyrants shake their iron rods,
And Slav’ry clank her galling chains.
We fear them not, we trust in God.
New England’s God forever reigns. 

The second verse has a modern ring to it: 

Howe and Burgoyne and Clinton, too,
With Prescott and  Cornwallis joined,
Together plot our overthrow,
In one infernal league combined.  

In addition to original patriotic music from the time of the American Revolution, we have also commissioned an original piece of music by a young composer, Carleton Monroe, getting his Ph.D. in choral conducting at the Conservatory of the University of Cincinnati.  He was asked to set Psalm 56 to music.  Verse 4, also reiterated in verse 11, is “In God I have put my trust, I will not be afraid.”  This is a first for The Philadelphia Society and we are proud to be to be able to take the lead in the culture wars by sponsoring original works of art. 

The spirit of all this music was captured by Ronald Reagan in his Second Inaugural Address, January 21, 1985: "Now we are standing inside this symbol of our democracy.  Now we hear again the echoes of our past: a general falls to his knees in the hard snow of Valley Forge, a lonely President paces the darkened halls, and ponders his struggle to preserve the Union; the men of the Alamo call out encouragement to each; a settler pushes west and sings a song, and the song echoes out forever and fills the unknowing air.

It is the American sound.  It is hopeful, big-hearted, idealistic, daring, decent and fair.  That's our heritage, that is our song.  We sing it still.  For all our problems, our differences, we are together as of old, as we raise our voice to the God who is the Author of this most tender music.  And may He continue to hold us close as we fill the world with our sound--sound in unity, affection, and love--one people under God, dedicated to the dream of freedom that He has placed in the human heart, called upon now to pass that dream on to a waiting and hopeful world.

God bless you and may God bless America."