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The Little Brown Church

Representative Text

1 There's a church in the valley by the wildwood,
No lovelier spot in the dale;
No place is so dear to my childhood
As the little brown church in the vale.

Refrain:
Come to the church in the wildwood,
Oh, come to the church in the vale;
No spot is so dear to my childhood
As the little brown church in the vale.

2 Oh, come to the church in the wildwood,
To the trees where the wild flowers bloom;
Where the parting hymn will be chanted,
We will weep by the side of the tomb. [Refrain]

3 How sweet on a clear Sunday morning,
To list to the clear ringing bell;
Its tones so sweetly are calling,
Oh, come to the church in the vale. [Refrain]

4 From the church in the valley by the wildwood,
When day fades away into night,
I would fain from this spot of my childhood
Wing my way to the mansions of light. [Refrain]


Source: Hymns for a Pilgrim People: a congregational hymnal #306

Author: William S. Pitts

William Savage Pitts MD USA 1830-1918. Born at Yates, NY, the son of Puritans, he was the 8th of nine children. He had musical ability from an early age, taking formal music lessons from a graduate of the Boston Handel & Hadyn Society. At age 19, he traveled with his family to Rock County, WI, where he worked as a rural music schoolteacher in Union, WI. He taught for several years, there and at singing schools, and for brass bands, composing much of their music. In 1857 he traveled to Fredericksburg, IA, to visit his fiancee, Ann Eliza Warren, a teacher. Along the way he stopped his horse-drawn wagon at Bradford, IA, to rest. He walked across a field and saw a picturesque wooded valley formed by the Cedar River. Viewing the spot, h… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: There's a church in the valley by the wildwood
Title: The Little Brown Church
Author: William S. Pitts
Language: English
Refrain First Line: Come to the church in the wildwood
Copyright: Public Domain

Timeline

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Instances

Instances (1 - 100 of 191)

A Child's Book of Hymns #d16

A Messenger for Jesus #d299

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A Treasury of Hymns #329

Albert E. Brumley's Olde Time Camp Meetin' Songs #7

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Awakening Songs for the Church, Sunday School and Evangelistic Services #158

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Awakening Songs #49

Billows of Praise #d214

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Brotherhood Hymns #26

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Calvary's Praises #192

Christian Hymns and Songs #d203

Church Gospel Songs and Hymns #658

Cliff Barrows Old Favorites #d77

Coleman's Songs for Men #d143

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Coronation Hymns #206

Cross and Crown Hymnal, 3rd ed. #d457

Crowns #d169

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Devotion and Praise #234

Devotional Hymns #d248

Devotional Hymns #d252

Devotional Hymns #ad252

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Diadems #87

Diamonds #d212

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Edward MacHugh's Treasury of Gospel Hymns and Poems #60

Enduring Hymns #d208

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Eternal Praise #165

Family Album of Favorite Hymns #d99

Favorite Hymns #d130

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Favorite Hymns #96

Favorite Hymns No. 2 #106

TextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Favorite Hymns of Praise #367

Favorite Hymns #313

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Favorite Radio Hymns of Edward MacHugh (Rev. and enl.) #60

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Favorite Selections from Victorious Service Songs #46

Glad Tidings in Song #d82

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Glad Tidings in Song #157

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Gloria in Excelsis #177

Glory Gleams #d235

Golden Bells #106

Gospel Bells #d208

Gospel Crusade Hymns #d134

Gospel Crusade Hymns No. 2 #d61

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Gospel Gems Number 1 #109

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Gospel Hosannas #187

Gospel Hour Song Book #d128

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Gospel Hymns and Songs #158

Gospel Rays #d243

Gospel Songs No. 2 #d159

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Great Revival Hymns #184

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Great Revival Hymns No. 2 #175

Great Songs of the Church #262

Greatest and Lasting Hymns #d333

Greatest Hymns for use in the Churches #d304

Harvest of Light #d214

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Herald of Praise #48

Home Gospel Songs #d217

Hosanna in the Highest, Gypsy Smith's Campaign Song Book #d165

Hosannas to the King #d137

Hymnal for Christian Worship #d274

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Hymns and Sacred Songs #147

TextPage Scan

Hymns for a Pilgrim People #306

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Hymns of Blessing for the Living Church #214

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Hymns of Glory No. 2 #91

Hymns of Grace #96

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Hymns of Pentecost #97

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Hymns of Praise Number Two #205

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Hymns of Praise Numbers One and Two Combined #91

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Hymns of Praise #91

Hymns of the Faith #270

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Hymns of the Heart #132

Hymns of the Living Gospel No. 1 #d125

Inspirational Songs for Sunday School, Social Worship, Missionary and Evangelistic Work #d248

Inspiring Hymns #144

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Jehovah's Praise #41

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Jewels for Juniors #107

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Joy to the World #39

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Joyful Praise #82

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Jubilate #165

Jubilate Sunday School Hymnal #165

Kingdom Songs No. 2 #d205

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Lasting Hymns No. 2 #301

Living Songs of Faith and Hope #d182

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Magnificat #47

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Make Christ King #39

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Make Christ King. Combined #54

Melodies for Jesus #d66

Messenger of Song #d199

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New Gospel Quartets for Men's Voices #89

New Junior Songs #92

TextPage Scan

New Sacred Quartettes for Male, Female and Mixed Voices #43

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New Songs of Pentecost #152

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New Songs of Pentecost No. 2 #59

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New Songs of Pentecost No. 3 #64

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New Songs of Praise and Power 1-2-3 Combined #147

Old and New Songs of the Church #14

Our Favorite Hymnal #d314

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Praise and Worship Hymns #140

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Praise for the Lord (Expanded Edition) #806

Praise Him #d263

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Praise Him #51

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Precious Hymns #69

Pages

Exclude 182 pre-1979 instances
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