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Collected poems by Vachel Lindsay

revised and illustrated edition

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WHEN PETER JACKSON PREACHED IN THE OLD CHURCH

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(To be sung to the tune of the old negro spiritual “Every time I feel the spirit moving in my heart I'll pray”)

Peter Jackson was a-preaching
And the house was still as snow.
He whispered of repentance

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And the lights were dim and low
And were almost out
When he gave the first shout:
“Arise, arise,
Cry out your eyes.”
And we mourned all our terrible sins away.
Clean, clean away.
Then we marched around, around,
And sang with a wonderful sound:—
“Every time I feel the spirit moving in my heart I'll pray.
Every time I feel the spirit moving in my heart I'll pray.”
And we fell by the altar
And fell by the aisle,
And found our Savior
In just a little while,
We all found Jesus at the break of the day,
We all found Jesus at the break of the day.
Blessed Jesus,
Blessed Jesus.