Salvation Army Music on Easter Morning
Brooklyn’s Easter Dawn Service in 1930 found ten thousand people assembled at Prospect Park Plaza for a community gathering under the auspices of the Brooklyn Federation of Churches. The first in the order of worship was a selection by the Salvation Army Band.
“Low in the grave He lay—
Jesus, my Saviour!
Waiting the coming day—
Jesus, my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign:
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!”
It was so appealingly appropriate that every listener seemed to be touched, and men quietly lifted their hats even though the morning was cool.
The band led the various hymns, the closing one of which was—
“All hail the power of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.”
What proved to be the climax of this exhilarating service was reached when the Salvation Army band left the scene playing their favorite marching song of conquest, “Onward, Christian Soldiers!”
How the good we do comes back to us is seen in a familiar hymn,