As some of you listen to this lilting jig-tune from Ingalls 1805 collection, you may find yourself strangely compelled to get up and start hugging people, that's because it is an oblique cousin of "The Parting Hand" in the Sacred Harp.

The resemblance is so close that Joe S. James credited Ingalls as the author of the Parting Hand in the James edition of Sacred Harp. William Walker is in fact the source, but Walker and Ingalls have numerous airs in common of which this is less well known. Ingalls' tune is also in a number of Methodist hymnals under the title "Fillmore."

 

TRANQUILITY

Away my doubts,
Begone my fears,
The wonders of the Lord appear
The wonders that
my Savior wrought,
Oh, how delightful is the thought.

The wonders of
Redeeming love,
When first my heart was drawn above,
When first I saw
my Savior's face,
And triumphed in his pard'ning grace.

Pursue my thoughts,
This pleasing theme,
T'was not a fancy or a dream.
T'was grace descending
from the skies,
And shall be marv'lous in my eyes.

Long had I mourned
like one forgot,
Long had my soul for comfort sought
Jesus was witness
to my tears,
And Jesus sweetly calmed my fears.

 

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