Awaken

The Great Awakening touched every section of the colonial domains of England in the New World—from northern-most New England to southern-most Georgia.  And its impact was enormous.  Interestingly, this cultural and spiritual phenomenon was entirely driven by grassroots evangelism and community cooperation, as Lawrence Tribble’s little ditty, "Awaken," illustrates. 

I found this bit of verse at a Boston library about 20 years ago.  It had been tucked away in the back of a Revolutionary War era Bible, lost for over 200 years.

The contemporary Christian music group, Leeland, has now set these lyrics to music for their upcoming CD, “The Great Awakening.”  I couldn’t be more pleased for a new generation to hear—and heed:

One man awake,

            Awakens another.

The second awakens

            His next-door brother.

The three awake can rouse a town

            By turning

            The whole place

            Upside down.

The many awake

            Can make such a fuss

It finally awakens

            The rest of us.

One man up,

            With dawn in his eyes,

            Surely then

            It multiplies.