Where Mother Knelt in Prayer

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Once in my boyhood's gladsome day

Author: Thomas MacKellar
Tune: [Once in my boyhood's gladsome day]
Published in 3 hymnals

Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 Once in my boyhood’s gladsome day,
My spirits light as air,
I wandered to a lonely room
Where mother knelt in prayer,
Where mother knelt in prayer,
Where mother knelt in prayer,
I wandered to a lonely room,
Where mother knelt in prayer.

2 My hands were clasped in fervency,
Her lips gave forth no sound,
Yet, awestruck, solemnly I felt
I stood on holy ground—
Where mother knelt in prayer,
Where mother knelt in prayer,
I felt I stood on holy ground,
Where mother knelt in prayer.

3 My mother, all entranced in prayer,
My presence heeded not,
And rev’rently I turned away
In silence from the spot—
Where mother knelt in prayer,
Where mother knelt in prayer,
I turned in silence from the spot,
Where mother knelt in prayer.

4 An orphaned wand’rer, far from home,
In after time I strayed;
But God has kept me, and I feel
He heard her when she prayed,
He heard her when she prayed,
He heard her when she prayed,
But God has kept me, and I feel
He heard her when she prayed.

Source: Redemption Songs #78

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Author: Thomas MacKellar

Mackellar, Thomas, was born in New York, Aug. 12, 1812. At the age of 14 he entered the printing establishment of Harper Brothers. In 1833 he removed to Philadelphia and joined the type-foundry firm of Johnson & Smith, as proof reader. He subsequently became a foreman, and then a partner in that firm, which has been known from 1860 as Mackellar, Smiths, and Jordan, type-founders of Philadelphia. His publications include The American Printer, 1866, a prose work, and the following in verse:— (1) Droppings from the Heart, 1844; (2) Tam's Fortnight Ramble, 1847; (3) Lines for the Gentle and Loving, 1853; (4) Rhymes Atween Times, 1872. The last contains some of his hymns. (5) Hymns and a few Metrical Psalms, Phila. 1883 (71 hymns, 3 psalms… Go to person page >

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