331. Fling out the banner! let it float
George W. Doane, 1799-1859
A stirring missionary hymn entitled, “Missions, Home and Foreign.”
It is based on Psalm 60:4: “Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth.”
The hymn was written in response to a request from the young women at St. Mary’s Hall, Burlington, N. J., a girls’ college founded by Bishop Doane, to be sung at a flag raising. The author, writing what has become a widely known hymn, gave the occasion a far wider significance than the girls had foreseen.
Bishop George Doane, a zealous advocate of missions, was known in his own church as “the missionary bishop of America.” The modern missionary movement arose and spread in his lifetime. The hymn reflects Doane’s enthusiasm and aggressive missionary leadership.
For further comments on the author see [Hymn 36].
MUSIC. WALTHAM—also known as “Doane” and “Camden”—was written by John Baptiste Calkin, 1827-1905, English pianist and organist, professor of music, and composer of church music, both instrumental and vocal. The tune with its martial swing lends itself well for use as a processional.