Under the title “The Hopes of Heaven Our Support Under Trials on Earth,” this hymn by Isaac Watts (1674-1748; see Biographies) was included in his Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707. In the second phrase of stanza two, Watts’s original was “And hellish darts be hurled.” It expands the promise of Jesus to His disciples when He said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions” (John 14:2).

In Watts’s day there were no repeats, but the hymn was sung to an ordinary common meter tune of four lines.

The tune name PISGAH comes from the name of a mountain near Dead Sea, where Moses was given a vision of the Promised Land. The tune was one of the most popular camp meeting melodies used in the early nineteenth century, and was sung with at least 10 different hymn texts. In this case, an extension by repetition of the text makes a sort of refrain. The melody is mostly pentatonic (five tones that can be played on the black notes of the piano). It “feels” like a folk song, and its spritely movement has led some to of the finest examples of the style.” Its composer is still a mystery. Kentucky conjecture that it came from a secular dance tune. Erik Routley calls it “one Harmony, 1816, and Allen D. Carden’s Missouri Harmony, 1820, attributed it to J. C. Lowry, about whom nothing is known. In 1819, Tennessee Harmony gave credit for it to an Alexander Johnson. It was picked up and used over and over in these oblong Southern tune books, includ- ing The Sacred Harp, 1844, where credit is given to J. C. Lowry, 1820. A note in that “an out- book says that he was standing musician of his day and wrote a great deal of sacred music.” The compiler of the Social Harp, 1855, says it was written by J. A. and J. F. Wade.

In England and Scotland the tune is known as COVENANTERS. The arrangement is by Wayne Hooper (1920-;).

William A. Spicer, president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists from 1922 to 1930, tells this story in his book Pioneer Days of the Advent Message: “I remember well, as a boy, sitting in our church waiting for the preacher. Our backs were to the street door, through which the minister would enter. Then suddenly the silence would be broken by a sweetly musical and strong, sure voice, singing a familiar hymn. I can see the singer now, James White, silvery-haired, coming down the aisle, beating time on his Bible, and singing-

When I can read my title clear
To mansions in the skies,
I’ll bid farewell to every fear,
Wipe my weeping eyes.

📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.