SONGS OF VICTORY
SONGS OF VICTORY, the first songbook published by the Gospel Trumpet Company, copyrighted by J. C. Fisher in April 1885, contained 137 songs. Most of the songs in the book were new, the music having been composed by Fisher, who also wrote the words to many. D. S. Warner also was the author of many of the lyrics and H. R. Jeffrey wrote both words and music to several of the songs. Allie Fisher also assisted in some of the musical compositions as well as a few others.
ANTHEMS FROM THE THRONE
ANTHEMS FROM THE THRONE was the second songbook published by the Gospel Trumpet Company, in 1888. Most of the songs being written and compiled by D. S. Warner and Barney E. Warren, it contained 147 songs.
ECHOES FROM GLORY
ECHOES FROM GLORY was the third songbook published by the Gospel Trumpet Company and the last during the lifetime of D. S. Warner. Assisted again by Barney E. Warren, it was copyrighted in 1893 by Warner and Warren and published by the Gospel Trumpet Company and contains 232 songs.
This songbook was given to me by Sister Ruby (Trimble) Stover, who was personally acquainted with many of the pioneers, including Sister Frankie Warner. She attended the same congregation with her in Whittier, California, for a while. She has written in the front of this book, “My parents, Bob and Ida Trimble used this book when first saved in 1903-4.” Also, “Mrs. N. H. Byrum, Grand Junction, Mich.” is written on this page. She was the wife of Noah Byrum and I assume that was her autograph. Unfortunately, the title/preface page was partly torn off. Other than that, the songbook was in excellent condition.
SONGS OF THE EVENING LIGHT
SONGS OF THE EVENING LIGHT was the fourth songbook published by the Gospel Trumpet Company, copyrighted in 1897. It contained 248 songs. At that time several new songwriters were starting to enter into the picture — A. L. Byers, C. W. Naylor, C. E. Hunter, and others. This songbook was first printed at Grand Junction, Michigan, shortly before the company moved to Moundsville, West Virginia. View the entire songbook.
SALVATION ECHOES
SALVATION ECHOES was the fifth songbook to come off the Gospel Trumpet Company press, making its appearance in the year 1900. By then, another songwriter had come on the scene, D. O. Teasley. Salvation Echoes contained 221 songs.
This songbook was given to me by my maternal grandfather, Brother Murphy Allen, a minister of the Church of God. In the front of the songbook is written the scripture: “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” Psalm 9:10. My dear Grandpa Allen truly lived up to that scripture!
YOUTHFUL PRAISE
In 1903 the Gospel Trumpet Company published a small songbook especially for children and young people. It contained 45 songs and was called YOUTHFUL PRAISE.
B. E. Warren and D. O. Teasley were the editors of the compilation and wrote many of the songs. Other contributors were D. O. Teasley’s wife, Ora Teasley, Thomas Nelson, Nora Dodge, W. W. Titley, W. J. & Luella Henry, C. E. & Nora Hunter, C. W. Naylor, A. L. Byers, and John S. Byers. Two older songs by D. S. Warner were included as well as a few from other sources.
TRUTH IN SONG
TRUTH IN SONG, coming off the press in June 1907, was the sixth songbook published by the Gospel Trumpet Company for use in general worship services. It contained 289 songs, about 260 of them being new. By this time, another excellent writer of song lyrics, Sister Clara McAlister (later known as Clara M. Brooks) had joined the group of songwriters. Along with B. E. Warren, A. L. Byers, C. E. Hunter, D. O. Teasley, and C. W. Naylor, she helped to compile this excellent collection of mostly new songs for God’s people to learn and sing.
This is a photo of four of the composers and compilers of Truth in Song, busy at their work. A. L. Byers writes as follows regarding this scene:
“The illustration shows the parlor on the second floor [of the Gospel Trumpet home in Anderson, Indiana], which, at the time the photo was taken, was used for the editing of the songbook, Truth in Song, published in June 1907. About two hundred and sixty of the songs were original, having never been published before. Both words and music of these were composed, copied, or prepared in this room, and required two or three months of very taxing mental work. But the blessings and inspirations received in the composition of these songs will be reproduced in the hearts of thousands who sing them. On account of the use made of this room it has been called the music room. In the picture, naming from the left, are A. L. Byers, B. E. Warren, C. W. Naylor, and Clara McAlister. The other two editors, C. E. Hunter and D. O. Teasley, were absent at the time the picture was taken.”
SELECT HYMNS
SELECT HYMNS, the seventh songbook compiled for use in general worship, was published by the Gospel Trumpet Company in 1911. It contained 633 songs, mostly selected from the six previous songbooks that had been published from 1885 to 1907. For that reason it was titled “Select Hymns,” and was considered the best songbook ever printed for use in general worship services. It was from this selection of songs that Evening Light Songs was compiled and published by Faith Publishing House in 1949.
SONGS OF GRACE AND GLORY
SONGS OF GRACE AND GLORY was a collection of 394 songs, published by the Gospel Trumpet Company in 1918. The collection contained some new compositions, some reprints or revisions of music from previously published songbooks, and some songs used by permission from outside sources. View the entire songbook.
REFORMATION GLORY
REFORMATION GLORY was published by the Gospel Trumpet Company in 1923 as an abbreviated collection of songs previously published, plus an additional collection of new songs. The book contained 193 songs in total.
MELODIES OF ZION
MELODIES OF ZION was published by the Gospel Trumpet Company in the year 1926. It contained a collection 319 songs, many of which were borrowed from other sources. However, some new songs also appeared in this songbook.
HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS
HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS was a collection of 600 songs published by the Gospel Trumpet Company in 1930 for use in general worship services. It contained 296 of what was considered the best of previously published songs written by the songwriters of the Evening Light Reformation movement and 304 hymns and songs from other sources.
HIS PRAISE ANEW
HIS PRAISE ANEW, a collection of 200 songs, approximately 80% of them new compositions, was published by the Gospel Trumpet Company in 1936, A. L. Byers being the music editor.
GOSPEL GLORY
GOSPEL GLORY, a collection of 110 songs, mostly from previous songbooks published by the Gospel Trumpet Company, has no preface or date.
GOSPEL GLORY NO. 2
GOSPEL GLORY No. 2, a collection of 100 songs, many of them published in previous songbooks, but a few of them new, was also published by the Gospel Trumpet Company in 1936.
GOSPEL GEMS NO. 2
GOSPEL GEMS No. 2 was another small songbook published by the Gospel Trumpet Company, containing 106 songs, most of them published in previous songbooks. This one has no preface and no publication date and printed in it but is advertised on the back cover of Gospel Glory No. 2, which was published in 1936. View the entire songbook.
ECHOES OF PRAISE
ECHOES OF PRAISE was another small songbook containing 109 songs, mostly gleaned from previous songbooks published by the Gospel Trumpet Company. It also has no preface or publication date.
WAVES OF DEVOTION
WAVES OF DEVOTION was another collection of previously published songs combined with a few from other sources, totaling 103 in all. This songbook also has no preface or publication date.
SONGS OF ZION
SONGS OF ZION was a collection of 228 choice songs published by the Gospel Trumpet Company in 1940, mostly selected from previously published songbooks. Unfortunately, the alphabetical index is missing in this copy I acquired. There are, however, two pages of the Topical Index.
EVENING LIGHT SONGS
The first edition of EVENING LIGHT SONGS was published by Faith Publishing House of Guthrie, Oklahoma in late 1949. (For details see “How the Evening Light Songs Hymnal Was Published” on the “Articles” page.) This first edition contained 466 songs, most of them being taken from Select Hymns, a volume of 633 songs published by the Gospel Trumpet Company in 1911. Under each song in the original edition of Evening Light Songs, that song’s corresponding number in Select Hymns was also printed at the bottom of the page. This was done for convenience, as some congregations were still using Select Hymns at that time.
In later years a “Supplement” was added to the original edition of Evening Light Songs which included songs written by Ulysses and Ella Phillips, George W. McMillan, and others. The Evening Light Songs hymnal today has more than 512 songs, including the “A” numbers in the added section of the book. I have not included scans of the original index here, as the present index is still the same relative to the original songs that were published in the book. The original songbook was compiled and arranged by Ruthe Byers and Lawrence D. Pruitt, workers at Faith Publishing House. View the entire songbook.