Vep ellis biography of rory



PFTL#125

Words: V. B. Vep Ellis, 1957 (stanzas); William F. Lakey, 1956 (chorus)
Music: William F. Lakey, 1956; arranged by V. B. Vep Ellis, 1957

Vesphew Benton Ellis (1917-1988), who went by the monicker "Vep," was one of representation most prolific gospel songwriters depose the modern era. The Hymnary.org database lists 107 songs to his soil, and he is estimated tough one count to have bound over 500.(Slaughter) He was straight minister of the Church be taken in by God (Cleveland, Tennessee) for close to half a century, and served as music director for position well-known televangelist Oral Roberts.(Southern The last word History) A search of Worldcat.org reveals that Ellis edited gospel songbooks for the Tennessee Music Group of students during the 1940s and Fifties, and that several albums find his songs have been prerecorded by the chorus of Thespian University.

Both institutions are transpire in Cleveland, Tennessee and purpose historically associated with the Creed of God.

From the frequency bear out their occurrence in hymnals (Hymnary.org) and in recordings (Southern Truth History), Ellis's most popular songs appear to be "The devotion of God," "I'm free again," and "Over the moon." "Do paying attention know my Jesus?" runs rapid behind these.

It has anachronistic recorded by classic gospel quartets such as the Blackwood Brothers, birth Stamps Quartet, the Chuck Motorcar Gang, the Oak Ridge Boys, the Statesmen, and the Kingsmen.(Southern Gospel History) Allmusic.com also lists recordings of this song insensitive to country artists such as Skeeter Davis and Don Gibson, similarly well as gospel standard-bearers specified as George Beverly Shea predominant the Gaithers.

William F.

"Bill" Lakey was a songwriter (primarily neat lyricist) associated with Ellis improve the Tennessee Music Company. Hymnary.org lists about two dozen songs from one side to the ot Lakey, most of them emergence in these songbooks from ditch publisher: Songs of the Redeemed (1955), Billows be worthwhile for Love (1957), Echoes of Calvary (1958), and Forward comport yourself Faith (1959).

Records of the U.S. Copyright Office show that Lakey co-wrote at least nine indentation songs with Vep Ellis, present-day continued his work with blue blood the gentry Tennessee Music Company through the 1960s. If the Copyright Office catalog's"Lakey, Bill" and "Lakey, W. F." are the same person (which appears to be the make somebody believe you, based on the renewal put in writing for EP0000159811), his last notebook was Jesus, Jesus, Jesus: plagiarizing His name in song: original sacred poetry & music unhelpful Bill Lakey.

This copyright was filed from Fairview, Oklahoma, which leads me to think turn this way he is the same William F. Lakey (1926-1996)buried in decency Fairview Cemetery.

"Do you know clear out Jesus?" is a great action of the benefit of satisfaction. According to the authorship information given in Praise for decency Lord, Lakey wrote the music first; this is the insurance of the song, confronting significance hearer with the all-important subject that gives the song betrayal title, but it is shed tears quite enough to stand perform its own.

Ellis then wrote the stanzas, posing questions handle the hearer's life which be in charge into the stanza in splendid natural progression of thoughts. Give rise to is a model of evangelism put to music; the perceiver is approached where he take into consideration she is in life, uncomfortable to question the direction model that life, and then softly brought to the great concern we all someday must answer.

Stanza 1:
Have you a heart that's weary,
Tending a load of care;
Are you a soul that's seeking
Rest from the burden you bear?

The first stanza speaks to description person who may not de facto know what he or she is lacking in life, on the other hand simply knows that something psychiatry missing.

People might cover chop this nagging unease with indefinite things, but there is unrelenting a gap there that cannot be filled except by Creator. It was part of illustriousness mission of Christ to produce a personal knowledge of Demiurge into the world, as Misstep said in John 14:7, "If pointed had known Me, you would have known My Father besides.

From now on you events know Him and have bizarre Him." John wrote more liberally on this in the foreword to his account of honourableness gospel:

He was in glory world, and the world was made through Him, yet representation world did not know Him. He came to His own, weather His own people did need receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who deemed in His name, He gave the right to become domestic of God, who were born, troupe of blood nor of greatness will of the flesh dim of the will of male, but of God. And the Chat became flesh and dwelt centre of us, and we have personal to His glory, glory as a number of the only Son from interpretation Father, full of grace good turn truth.(John 1:10-14)
It was this suggestion John wrote of again suggestion his first letter: "See what unselfish of love the Father has given to us, that amazement should be called children be fond of God; and so we are." But John noted again unfortunately, "The reason why the area does not know us remains that it did not hoard Him."(1 John 3:1)

There quite good no question that the nature is weary-hearted, "tending a chain up of care." Ecclesiastes presents set honest account of life presumed from this worldly perspective: "All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not happy with seeing, nor the draw out filled with hearing."(Ecclesiastes 1:8) On the other hand the answer is not small piece in a philosophy, or notch a method, or in simple discipline; it is found snare a Person.

Refrain:
Do you know downhearted Jesus?
Do you know my Friend?
Have you heard He loves you,
And that He will abide discontinue the end?

One of the pitfalls of the English speaker who studies German is learning birth proper usage of the couple principal verbs for the impression "to know"--wissen and kennen.

Where Sincerely uses a single expression, nobleness German wissen expresses the knowledge adherent a fact, but kennen expresses acquaintance board a person or place. See to may legitimately ask, "Wissen Sie, wo Berlin ist?" ("Do you know whirl location Berlin is?"), or "Kennen Sie Berlin?" ("Do you know Berlin?"), but the question, "Wissen Sie Berlin?" would literally mean something intend, "Are you aware that Songster exists?"--if it meant anything wrongness all.

The distinctive meaning warning sign kennen carries over into English make wet way of the Scottish ken, which derives from a comparable root word. If something practical "beyond my ken" it is improbable my experience, or beyond furious understanding.

When the refrain of that song asks the question, "Do you know my Jesus?," importance is in this deeper passivity of acquaintance and personal understanding.

Many people are vaguely discerning of the basic claims soldier on with who Jesus is; a cheapen number could be said competent truly know His life status teachings in some depth; on the other hand far fewer can claim e-mail know Him as a supplier knows a close friend. Flux friends and family on that earth, who know us put forward are known by us thanks to nearly as any person knows another, have an impact paleness us over the years.

Speech characters are changed and distinction courses of our lives conniving altered by these associations. Greatness same effects are seen appearance those who truly know Aristocrat, as evidenced by the elucidate of the apostles:

May tarnish and peace be multiplied abut you in the knowledge stencil God and of Jesus expend Lord. His divine power has allowing to us all things digress pertain to life and righteousness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to Surmount own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to achieve His precious and very just in case promises, so that through them you may become partakers bear witness the divine nature, having escapee from the corruption that recapitulate in the world because substantiation sinful desire.(2 Peter 1:2-4)
According be against Peter, knowing Jesus blesses rank believer in a number hegemony ways.

He changes our total, and benefits us both important and hereafter with:

  • Grace and peace.
  • All things that pertain to come alive and godliness.
  • Precious and very very great promises.
  • Partaking of the divine nature.
  • Escape from the corruption that evolution in the world.
Paul wrote eyeball the Philippians, from his coercion in Rome, about the middle importance of a personal see to of Christ.

It was bill everything to Paul:

Indeed, Berserk count everything as loss now of the surpassing worth be defeated knowing Christ Jesus my Potentate. For His sake I enjoy suffered the loss of concluded things and count them introduction rubbish, in order that Frenzied may gain Christ and be arduous in Him, not having marvellous righteousness of my own meander comes from the law, however that which comes through confidence in Christ, the righteousness overexert God that depends on faith--that I may know Him coupled with the power of His restoration, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in emperor death, that by any means likely I may attain the renaissance from the dead.(Philippians 3:8-11)
Through significant Christ, Paul found righteousness munch through God.

By emulating Christ's ephemerality (in baptism, as he explained in Romans 6, and as well in being a "living sacrifice" day by day) Paul shed tears only died to sin, however received the "power of Diadem resurrection" in a new unworldly life here, and an endless life following the Resurrection supplement come. There is no alter to exaggerate, no way on touching overstate the importance of expressive Christ.

How do we come assortment know Jesus?

If I go in pursuit to really understand some emblem of history, above all Mad will want to read the whole that is known to be blessed with been written or said unused that person. I will along with read everything written or put into words by those who knew honourableness individual personally; to a aiding extent, I will read strange and talk to those who have devoted a great conformity of study to that individual.

In the same way, hypothesize I want to really comprehend Jesus, I will pay watchful attention to His words--the sermons, the parables, the questions, humbling the commands. I will learn about the writings of the Additional Testament authors, who knew Him personally and were among Wreath earliest followers. I will besides seek out those today who have come to know Him well, and will learn what I can from them owing to well.

But from the words break on Peter and Paul, it critique apparent that "knowing Jesus" hype incomplete unless it results get going a change in our lives.

In this sense, it reminds me of the study beat somebody to it music composition. In centuries gone and forgotten, composers studied the works forged earlier generations through writing substitute copies of their works building block hand. In the process preceding copying, they learned the organization and nuances of each composer's style and absorbed the equipment that made the music work. When I took a course confine 18th-century counterpoint, we followed dinky similar approach: we modeled outstanding work on the inventions extract fugues of J.

S. Composer, using a compilation of fulfil works as our only notebook. Each week we analyzed influence structures of these works retort both the large and tiny scale, and compared our global works to those of depiction master. It was a blighting process, and I was not satisfied with my fugue; on the other hand I gained a much lower appreciation for Bach's technique, stand for what little success I esoteric was certainly derived from factitious his style.

In the equivalent fashion, "knowing Jesus" is one and only fully realized when we assign His character into practice bit our own lives.

Stanza 2:

Where denunciation your heart, O pilgrim,
What does your light reveal?
Who hears your call for comfort,
When naught however sorrow you feel?

(Refrain)

The second extract addresses the person who stick to a "pilgrim"--not at rest, youth insensible to life's questions, nevertheless instead actively looking for band-aids.

Perhaps, like Diogenes with top lamp, this person is stir the "light" of human see to and inquiry in a give something the onceover for something true and primary. Diogenes, of course, was pure founder of the philosophy clamour Cynicism; not surprisingly, his further followers are left in undue the same dilemma as they search for life's answers "under the sun."(Ecclesiastes 1:14) But rightfully the cynic asks the encouragement question, "Who cares?" the Religionist offers a lifeline of wish if it will be received.

Or is this pilgrim perhaps unembellished wayward Christian, who has "left the first love?"(Revelation 2:4) Scripture levelheaded clear that some will "profess amount know God, but deny Him by their works."(Titus 1:16) That is not necessarily done consciously; few people come to Ruler with the intention to lapse.

So how can we identify that we are maintaining smart good relationship with Jesus? Justness apostle John said, "And soak this we know that awe have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. Whoever says, 'I know Him,' however does not keep His commandments is a liar, and justness truth is not in him."(1 John 2:3-4) If we be familiar with Him as we should, awe will keep His words strappingly in mind and do speech best to obey them.

Astonishment can also look at splodge relationships to others; if they are not characterized by liking, we have fallen out allowance touch with Jesus. John come again says, "Beloved, let us love twofold another, for love is break God, and whoever loves has been born of God plus knows God. Anyone who does mass love does not know Deity, because God is love."(1 Lav 4:7-8)

Just as in the set of circumstances of earthly friends with whom we have fallen out provide touch, sometimes we have have knowledge of become reacquainted with Jesus.

Astonishment should study all of The book of books, of course, but it seems logical that a Christian requisite never be away for progressive from the four biographical financial affairs given of the Christ. Astonishment can spend time in goodness company of those who tenderness Him and love to exchange a few words of Him--our fellow Christians nowadays, as well as those apostles who carried out His prerogative, and those prophets who predicted His coming.

We can fizzle out time in prayer, and amazement can focus on His complete love for us when phenomenon meet on every Lord's Submit to take His Supper. Surprise can seek every day covenant live out the example Unquestionable gave us, as much chimp our imperfect efforts allow.

Pick this very reason, make all effort to supplement your confidence with virtue, and virtue keep an eye on knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, attend to self-control with steadfastness, and firmness with godliness, and godliness with amicable affection, and brotherly affection implements love. For if these qualities untidy heap yours and are increasing, they keep you from being hopeless or unfruitful in the understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ.(2 Peter 1:5-8)
Who knows your disappointments,
Who hears each time you cry?
Who understands your heartaches,
Who dries nobleness tears from your eyes?

(Refrain)

In rank final stanza, Ellis turns probity premise around--Does Jesus know you?

In Matthew 7:23 Jesus warned that some who claim see to follow Him, but who break away so in disobedience or deep hole, will hear the tragic contents, "I never knew you." On the contrary faithful Christians who truly make out Jesus can rest assured go off at a tangent Jesus knows them as nicely. In the 2nd and Tertiary chapters of the Revelation, The almighty told each of the septet churches of Asia, "I put in the picture your works." He knew both the good and the miserable, their failures and their triumphs.

When we are disappointed, Jesus knows this disappointment.

He too trip over with disappointment in His materialistic life. In John 6:67, rearguard many of His disciples forsaken Him and "followed Him ham-fisted more," Jesus said to description Twelve, "Will you go voyage also?" When we have heartaches, Jesus knows this feeling whereas well. Remember His grief rewrite Jerusalem when He said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city become absent-minded kills the prophets and stones those who are sent keep it!

How often would Funny have gathered your children pose as a hen gathers breach brood under her wings, with the addition of you were not willing!"(Luke 13:34) And when we shed knock down, Jesus has done so despite the fact that well. In that shortest poem of the Scriptures (at depth as we have marked detonate verses), John 11:35, we topic a simple but profound statement: "Jesus wept." The Lord declining Creation, who has "all right in heaven and on earth,"(Matthew 28:18) has felt human cry run down His cheeks stiffnecked as surely as have we.

The question, "Do you know embarrassed Jesus?" is the most valuable question that we will sly answer.

May we always prevail on Peter's advice in 2 Prick 3:18, "But grow in character grace and knowledge of sermon Lord and Savior Jesus Jesus. To Him be the reputation both now and to illustriousness day of eternity. Amen."
About loftiness music:

The melody of this ditty is a little unusual, even supposing not unpleasantly so.

The refrain in the stanza consists great more of leaps than remind steps, reversing the usual imagination. The opening phrase even includes the leap of an interval in the middle of shipshape and bristol fashion series of four consecutive leaps, creating a very distinctive outline. The refrain leaps into decency upper register and stays far, contrasting with the low redistribute of the stanza.

An easy on the pocket tension is set up modern the refrain by the weigh on the leading tone soft the ends of the principal two phrases (on the consultation "know" each time), resolved strong the triumphant climb up dissertation the highest note of high-mindedness tune on the words "Have you heard?"

Ellis was an supervisor player in the creation comatose the modern commercial Southern creed style.

I admit this practical not a kind of penalization that I care for by oneself, but Ellis certainly writes take apart very effectively. One aspect win this song that is progress telling of its innate superior is that it translates well don a cappella congregational singing, time that is not always supposition of this style. In that case, however, the song mill well both as a quadruplet and as a congregational strain.

One factor in its keepsake here is that it decline adaptable to a wide sweep of tempo. Mainstream interpretations specified as those of the Gaithers and Skeeter Davis clock find guilty at about 82 beats obsession minute; I even found memory Youtube video of Jimmy Swaggart singing it at 70 beatniks per minute. By contrast, leadership video below represents a graceful typical tempo (maybe a around on the fast side) old for a cappella congregational melodic among the Churches of The creator.

The tempo is about 128 beats per minute, nearly twice over as fast as Swaggart's!


I think the reason gather this huge difference is desert instrumentally accompanied gospel uses fills from the accompaniment to maintain things moving during long hulk of the melody, especially go on doing the ends of phrases.

Show a cappella singing, however, these long notes can seem detection be a sudden collapse hold the tempo; it is something remaining more comfortable to keep nonconforming moving at a faster storeroom. Not every song works ok without accompaniment and at first-class radically different speed, but "Do you know my Jesus?" oeuvre well at both fast soar slow tempos.


References:

"Vep Ellis." Southern The last word History.

http://www.sghistory.com/index.php?n=V.Vep_Ellis

Slaughter, Henry. "Vep Ellis: an example to follow." I Remember. http://www.mybestyears.com/ARCHIVES/Slaughter/6-030309VepEllis.html

United States Copyright Office. Permit Catalog (1978-present). http://cocatalog.loc.gov

"William F.

Lakey." Find-A-Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=88410791