Singing A Cappella

Here's an audio clip of singing from an actual Apostolic Christian Church service. You will need an MP3 player of some sort to hear it (the latest versions of Windows Media Player can play them, so most people will not have any problems playing it; the Windows Media Player can be downloaded free from www.microsoft.com if you need it). The file is about 1 megabyte in length, so it may take a few minutes to download if you are connected to the internet via a modem (it will start downloading automatically and will play when the download is complete).

Note the song leader who leads the congregation in song. Listen for the four-part harmony (soprano, alto, tenor and bass parts). There are much better recordings of Apostolic Christians singing made in professional studios without all of the background noise, but we wanted you to hear it as sung in church, complete with the coughs and babies crying, what could be more natural!

What is the congregation singing? It is the hymn "Behold, The Lamb of God" from the Zion's Harp, the official hymnal commissioned by Samuel Froehlich, the founder of the denomination in 1853. Here's a few verses from that hymn:

Behold, The Lamb Of God

O slaughtered Lamb, by whom the seal was broken,

That gave me comfort and eternal cheer!

My faith sends up to yonder Zion's mountain,

A look of longing to Thee, Lamb so dear!

Thou art, O Lamb, now raised on high;

What wonder that my thoughts would ever to Thee fly!

O precious Lamb, Thou wilt that we be guided

As Thine own people, by Thy Spirit's call.

The question thus is easily decided,

For I am naught, but Thou art all in all.

O Truth, grant that I may be true;

O Love, love me, that I in love be burning too!

O Lamb of God, Who bled for my transgression,

And for my guilt on Calv'ry's brow hast trod!

Who could unto such great love give expression?

Who is like Thee, Thou chosen Lamb of God?

As often as my pulses beat,

I lay my life, my blood, my all at Jesus' feet.

(Hymn copyrighted by the Apostolic Christian Church of America)

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