561 Stand Up Stand Up for Jesus

It was the year 1854 and 29 year old Dudley Tyng, who had served as his father's assistant at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, in Philadelphia, was appointed as the new pastor.  He became known as a bold, fearless and uncompromising preacher.  The relationship became more tense as he began preaching on a regular basis against slavery.  He was removed from his post in 1856 after which he and his followers organized the Church of the Covenant.  He began preaching at a noon day Bible series at the local YMCA.

On Tuesday, March 30, 1858, 5,000 men gathered for the regular preaching and by the end of it, more than 1,000 men had been converted.  During that sermon, said to be one of the greatest of its time, Tyng said "I must tell my Master's errand and I would rather that this right arm were amputated at the trunk  than that I should come short of my duty to you in delivering God's message."  Ironically the next week he was viewing the operation of a corn thrasher in a barn.  His hand moved too closely to the machinery and his loose sleeve and his right arm became ensnared in the cogs of the machinery.  His arm was ripped from its socket, the main artery severed. The arm was severely lacerated, the main artery was severed and the median nerve was injured.  Four days later an infection developed and due to shock and a loss of blood, he passed away on April 19, 1858.  As he was dying, his father visited him.  On his death bed, he whispered to his father, " Stand up for Jesus, father and tell my brethren of the ,ministry to stand up for Jesus."

The minister from Philadelphia's Temple Presbyterian Church was deeply stirred and wrote a poem, based on Ephesians 6:14.  The result is the 4 verse hymn (there were originally 6 verses) we have today that starts: Stand up, stand up for Jesus/Ye souldiers of the cross;/ Lift high his royal banner,/ it must not suffer loss. The editor of a Baptist periodical which gave it a wider circulation.  From there it found its way into hymnals and hearts across America.

The most familiar and popular tune was composed by George W. Webb.  The tune was originally appeared in a secular song book with the title, "'Tis Dawn, the Lark is Singing," and was used in a show on board a ship crossing the Atlantic.   There is a less familiar, though stirring tune, by Adam Giebel.  The composer,  was blind but became a skilled organist, conductor and prolific composer. He was known for his ability to arrange for male voices.