The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is made up of some 360 men and women, all of whom are volunteers. There are many husband-wife combinations and many families have participated in the choir for generations. Choir members are currently limited to twenty years of participation, allowing new members to join the choir on a regular basis.
The choir was founded in August 1847, one month after the Mormon Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. The choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to support their organization. Choir members are not paid for their participation or performances.
Although the choir has traditionally been recognized for its sound quality, the most recent director, Craig Jessop, a student of Robert Shaw, has made changes designed to improve the overall quality of the choir. Jessop's efforts to add vitality to the choir's sound include the formation of The Orchestra at Temple Square, the 2005 addition of The Bells on Temple Square (a hand bell choir), and continual refinement of the choir's tone, enunciation, and repetoire. The minimum age for participation has been reduced from 30 to 25. In addition, new choir members participate in The Temple Square Chorale training choir, a combination music theory/performance school led by associate director and composer/arranger Mack Wilberg.
Onward Christian Soldiers
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Marching as to war
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before
Christ the royal master
Leads against the foe
Forward into battle
Onward Christian soldiers
Marching as to war
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before
Like a mighty army
Moves the church of god
Brothers we a treading
Where the Saints have trod
We are not divided
All one body we
One in hope and doctrine
One in charity
Onward Christian soldiers
Marching as to war
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before
Going on before
The song "Onward Christian Soldiers" by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a call to arms for Christians to march on with their faith in Jesus Christ. The opening line "Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war" sets the tone for a battle cry that encourages Christians to remain steadfast in their faith and continue to fight for what they believe in. The use of military language and metaphors such as "the cross of Jesus going on before" and "Christ the royal master leads against the foe" evoke images of a physical battle, but the song speaks to the spiritual battle that Christians face daily.
The second verse speaks to the unity of the church as a whole, describing it as a mighty army moving forward, following in the footsteps of the saints that came before them. The imagery of brotherhood and solidarity is also present in the line "we are not divided, all one body we". This reinforces the idea that Christians must work together to fight for their beliefs and mission.
Line by Line Meaning
Onward Christian soldiers
Let us keep marching forward as Christian soldiers
Marching as to war
We are marching with a purpose, as if going to battle
With the cross of Jesus
We carry the symbol of our faith, the cross of Jesus
Going on before
The cross of Jesus is leading us and guiding our way
Christ the royal master
Christ is our leader and master of the church
Leads against the foe
Christ leads us in the fight against our enemies
Forward into battle
We are moving forward, ready to engage in battle
See his banners go
As we move forward, we see the banners of Christ going before us
Like a mighty army
The church of God moves like a powerful and united army
Moves the church of god
The church of God is constantly in motion and advancing forward
Brothers we a treading
We are walking in the footsteps of our fellow brothers in the faith
Where the Saints have trod
We are following the path of the saints who have gone before us
We are not divided
Despite our differences, we are united as one body in Christ
All one body we
We are members of the same body of Christ
One in hope and doctrine
We share the same hope and beliefs, as taught in our doctrine
One in charity
We act with love and charity towards each other, as we are all one in Christ
With the cross of Jesus
Once again, we carry the symbol of our faith, the cross of Jesus
Going on before
Once again, the cross of Jesus is leading us and guiding our way
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Bluewater Music Corp., Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Sabine Baring Gould, Arthur L. Sullivan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheWordprophet
@@antyrak7905
My dear friend,
Mormons are not the church of Jesus Christ (though they call themselves so). They are the church of Joseph Smith, a false prophet who was beguiled by a devil named Moroni (because he was a freemason, and did not know how to try the spirits, whether they are of God).
From that encounter came a satanic book of lies called "The Book of Mormon; another new testament of our Lord Jesus Christ".
It is from those deceptions, and that cursed book of lies, that the LDS church came.
No one could simply read the Holy Bible, and nothing else, and come up with the satanic doctrines of the LDS church.
This is why I said that they need to come to Jesus Christ.
I do not say these things flippantly, or to cause an argument; but as a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Mormon church believes in a false God (that used to be a man), and a false gospel that can save no one.
But I am a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, we are called Christians (Acts 11:26, 1 Peter 4:16).
And I am here to serve you in the gospel of Jesus Christ, if you would be saved from your sins and inherit the kingdom of God.
Very sincerely,
Clinton
@Jayce_Alexander
This should be a hymn for all Christians of every denomination around the world, whether we're Protestant, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Oriental Orthodox. These are ideals we all share, so in a world where our religion is constantly under siege, let us march together for Jesus, and let us together glorify the almighty God. We don't need to agree on every theology matter to at least recognize the fact that we all worship the one allmighty God, we all believe in Jesus, and we all believe in the part of the Nicene creed that states:
"For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end."
Best verse from this hymn:
"Like a mighty army
Moves the Church of God;
Brothers, we are treading
Where the Saints have trod.
We are not divided;
All one body we:
One in hope and doctrine,
One in charity.
Onward Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before."
@SP4313
We used to sing this song in church when I was a child in the 1960s. Great memories and great times, long before right was wrong and wrong was right in America. Listen again to the words of this song and get on your knees for our country people. We are losing the America we once knew.
@joansmith5947
Little did you know when you wrote your comment that it was going to get so much worse. We only have a few short weeks before we know which direction our country will go. Up or down, and it is very dependent on our prayers at this time. I heard this a lot growing up in 60s and 70s (church) but my dad was a WWII pilot and would also play this loudly on the stereo on Sunday mornings to wake us up.
@SimpleMinded221
America was not right even back then. America unjustly treated our fellow black Christians like dogs when the good book says favoritism among groups is a sin and likened to the law breakers of old. America was never a perfect god fearing nation. As all are 1 in christ and are kin as all nations are of 1 blood.
@SP4313
@@SimpleMinded221 I agree with you. American was never a perfect God fearing nation. American has never been a perfect nation in any area. But, it has been a good one and any area where we have fallen short is usually magnified in much greater proportion in other countries at any time in our history. And blacks were treated horribly during our history and there is still injustice today. I do not understand this. But you have to remember that even during the beginnings of our great nation men like Benjamin Rush (signer of the Declaration of Independence) were leaders in the abolition movement. These men weren't perfect either but fought against the injustices of their day. While America has never been perfect there has always been good along with the bad. My point was only that 60 years ago when I was young there was a greater respect for what was holy and godly. A greater respect for decency and morality and love for mankind. We kicked God out of our courts, our schools, our government and what we are seeing today is the result.
@mellib2086
Listening in 2020 and knowing Jesus will prevail!!!
@EjwiiiLowvilleNY
The dumb SOB couldn't get himself off the cross, his dad was no help either. His dad let career criminal Barabbas off the hook, which just goes to show you why Trump is not in jail.
@OrdoMalleus76
@@EjwiiiLowvilleNY Christ loves you child. I’ll pray for you.
@NinjaBuddha503
@@EjwiiiLowvilleNY God definitely loves you. Now join my ninjas, the new Christian Soldiers
@EjwiiiLowvilleNY
@@OrdoMalleus76 Thank you, I hope it helps.
@shocked9217
@@EjwiiiLowvilleNY lmao what? Like yes Mormons are strange??
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