Franklin Belden was born and schooled in Battle Creek, Michigan. In 1876, when James and Ellen White made a decision to move to California, Belden’s family decided to join with them. Young Franklin was 18 years old at this time.
The Whites and Beldens were close-knit. Ellen Harmon White and Sarah Harmon Belden are sisters, which makes Ellen the aunt of Franklin. It would not be a surprise that Franklin would grow up in a household with first access and exposure to the Biblical wisdom that the elders around him possessed. It was in California that Franklin would show some knack for composing music.
Later on, he had to move out of his family’s house, mainly due to his bronchial problems. Colorado was Belden’s choice of residence and there he met his wife who also had musical talents like him.
As Belden showed more maturity, he was given more responsibilities, mainly in the Seventh-day Adventist publishing work. One of his early jobs included being the editor of The Seventh-day Adventist Hymn and Tune Book for Use in Divine Worship, more commonly known as Hymns and Tunes 1886. The responsibility of putting together official hymnals for the church had been James White’s since 1849. Franklin seemed to be the perfect fit to take over this responsibility.
The SDA Hymnal companion described Franklin as a “genius.” The editors wrote: “Belden’s genius in music and poetry was demonstrated by his frequent practice of writing a song to fit a sermon while it was being preached. He and his wife sat in the choir. He would take the Scripture text of the sermon as his theme and, using the preacher’s exposition, write the hymn text. Then he would compose the music for the newly written words. Finally, he and his wife would offer to sing the new hymn in place of the final hymn chosen to conclude the service.”
Not all of the 80 hymns found its way to the SDA Hymnal 1985. Twelve hymns are included in which both the lyrics and melody are written and composed by Belden. Here are 6 of them:
SDAH 183: I Will Sing of Jesus’ Love
LYRICS
1
I will sing of Jesus love,
Sing of Him,who first loved me;
for He left bright worlds above,
And died on Calvary.
Refrain
I will sing of Jesus love
Endless praise my heart shall give;
He has died that I might live
I will sing His love to me.
2
O the depths of love divine!
Earth or heaven can never know
How that sin as dark as mine
can be made as white as snow.
3
Nothing good for Him I’ve done;
How could He such love bestow?
Lord, I own my heart is won,
help me now my love to show.
SCRIPTURAL BASIS
1
Psa 9:2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.
1Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
Jhn 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Luk 23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
Refrain
Psa 59:16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
2
Eph 3:18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
3
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Jhn 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
HYMNS & TUNES, 1886
SDAH 253: There’s No Other Name Like Jesus
LYRICS
1
There’s no other name like Jesus,
‘Tis the dearest name we know,
‘Tis the angel’s joy in heaven,
‘Tis the Christian’s joy below.
Refrain
Sweet name, (sweet name) dear name, (dear name)
There’s no other name like Jesus;
Sweet name, (sweet name) dear name, (dear name)
There’s no other name like Jesus.
2
There’s no other name like Jesus
When the heart with grief is sad,
There’s no other name like Jesus
When the heart is free and glad.
3
‘Tis the hope that I shall see Him
When in glory He appears,
‘Tis the hope to hear His welcome
That my fainting spirit cheers.
4
If He wills that I should labor
In His vineyard day by day,
Then ’tis well if only Jesus
Blesses all I do or say.
5
If He wills that death’s cold finger
Touch my feeble, mortal clay,
Then ’tis well if only Jesus
Is my dying trust and stay.
SCRIPTURAL BASIS
1
Jhn 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Refrain
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
2
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
3
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
4
1 Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
5
Act 15:26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
HYMNS & TUNES, 1886
SDAH 308: Wholly Thine
LYRICS
1
I would be, dear Savior, wholly Thine;
Teach me how, teach me how;
I would do Thy will, O Lord, not mine;
Help me, help me now.
Refrain
Wholly Thine, wholly Thine,
Wholly Thine, this is my vow;
Wholly Thine, wholly Thine,
Wholly Thine, O Lord, just now.
2
What is worldly pleasure, wealth or fame,
Without Thee, without Thee?
I will leave them all for Thy dear Name,
This my wealth shall be.
3
As I cast earth’s transient joys behind,
Come Thou near, come Thou near;
In Thy presence all in all I find,
’Tis my comfort here.
SCRIPTURAL BASIS
1
Psa 143:10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
Psa 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
Refrain
Exo 32:29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
2
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
3
Col 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
HYMNS & TUNES, 1886
SDAH 416: The Judgment Has Set
LYRICS
1
The judgment has set, the books have been opened;
How shall we stand in that great day,
When every thought, and word, and action,
God, the righteous Judge, shall weigh?
Refrain
How shall we stand in that great day?
How shall we stand in that great day?
Shall we be found before Him wanting?
Or with our sins all washed away?
2
The work is begun with those who are sleeping,
Soon will the living here be tried,
Out of the books of God’s remembrance,
His decision to abide.
3
O, how shall we stand that moment of searching,
When all our sins those books reveal?
When from that court, each case decided,
Shall be granted no appeal?
SCRIPTURAL BASIS
1
Dan 7:10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Isa 26:7 The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.
Refrain
2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Dan 5:27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
2
1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
Mal 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
3
Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Psalm 1:5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
HYMNS & TUNES, 1886
SDAH 430: Joy By and By
LYRICS
1
O there’ll be joy when the work is done,
Joy when the reapers gather home,
Bringing the sheaves at set of sun
To the New Jerusalem.
Refrain
Joy, joy, joy, there’ll be joy by and by,
Joy, joy, joy, where the joys never die;
Joy, joy, joy, for the day draweth nigh
When the workers gather home.
2
Sweet are the songs that we hope to sing,
Grateful the thanks our hearts shall bring,
Praising forever Christ our King
In the New Jerusalem.
3
Pure are the joys that await us there,
Many the golden mansions fair;
Jesus Himself doth them prepare,
In the New Jerusalem.
SCRIPTURAL BASIS
1
Psa 126:6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Refrain
1Th 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Jas 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
2
Psa 108:1 O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
Psa 106:1 Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 145:1 I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
3
Psa 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Joh 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
CHRIST IN SONG, 1908
SDAH 531: We’ll Build On the Rock
LYRICS
1
We’ll build on the Rock, the living Rock,
On Jesus, the Rock of Ages;
So shall we abide the fearful shock,
When loud the tempest rages.
Refrain
We’ll build on the Rock,
We’ll build on the Rock;
We’ll build on the Rock, on the solid Rock,
On Christ, the mighty Rock.
2
Some build on the sinking sands of life,
On visions of earthly treasure;
Some build on the waves of sin and strife,
Of fame, and worldly pleasure.
3
O build on the Rock, for ever sure,
The firm and the true foundation;
Its hope is the hope which shall endure,
The hope of our salvation.
SCRIPTURAL BASIS
1
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Refrain
Deu 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
2
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
3
Isa 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
HYMNS & TUNES, 1886
(To be continued)
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