Deacon Foster's Pew (Recitation Notes)

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I have been told that this recitation includes many references or quotations to church hymns. Can anyone else verify this?

A. The Rehearsal (from a ca 1888 broadside)

THE REHERSAL.

I am thinking dear Will of you and of merry days gone bye;
The old church, where oft we sang together, you and I.
But thoughts of one rehearsal night, will constantly arise,
Till "I can read my title clear, to mansion in the sky."

I am tanking of that rainy night, the rest had harried home.
And we in Deacon Foster's pew, were sitting all alone;
You were seeking then dear Will, "but hot of things above,"
The length the depth, the breadth, the highth, of everlasting love.

And I was on the anxious seat, uncertain how to move.
With in thy arms of love's embrace, thy constancy to prove,
And, oh! the promises you made, you were my own dear Will,
What peaceful hours I once enjoyed—how sweet their memory still.

Oh! what sweet words of love you spake, and kissed away the tears.
And how I trembled at the thought, lest some one should appear;
But when you turned the lights all out. to guard against surprise.
"I bid farewell to every fear, and., wiped my weeping eyes."

When you fixed the cushion's up, and I reclined at ease,
The pulpit pillows neath my head, and you on bended knees,
With your warm kisses on my lips, how could I stay your hand,
The veil was lifted, and by faith, you saw the promised land.

And, oh! what rapturous feeling thrilled every nerve, and when,
I cried 'oh Lord, my heart is touched," you shouted out, "Amen:"
My very soul was all ablaze, I thought that I could see,
The land of saints delight, the heaven prepared for me.

I thought a chance to keep, I had with mingled fear and shame,
How anxiously [.......]hed, dear Will, till I came round again;
In my distress I [...]ly stove to check the willing tears.
The gracious blood flowed freely forth, and conquered all my fears.

But that was many years ago, and I've no doubt that you,
Remember still that very night in Deacon Foster's pew;
And, oh! my first experience will ne'er forgotten be,
While down the stream of life we glide into eternity.

I'm married now, my husband thinks in me he has a prize,
Oh, me, where ignorance is bliss 'tis folly to be wise,"
Of you dear Will he nothing knows, and as my heart's at rest,
And not a wave of trouble, waves across my peaceful breast.

B. The Rehersal (From The Stag Party)

I sit here thinking, Will, of you,
Of merry days gone by --
The old church, where oft we sang
Together, you and I;
But thoughts of one rehearsal night
Will constantly arise,
'Till "I can read my title clear
To mansions in the skies."

I'm thinking of the rainy night --
The rest had hurried home --
And we, in Deacon Foster's pew,
Were sitting all alone;
You were a "seeker" then, dear Will,
But not of "things above" --
"The length, the depth, the breadth, the heigth
Of everlasting love."

And I was on the "anxious" seat,
Uncertain how to move,
Within thine arms of love embraced,
Thy constancy to prove!
And oh! the promises you made --
You were my own dear Will --
"What peaceful hours I once enjoyed,
How sweet their memory still."

Oh! what sweet words of love you spoke,
And kissed away the tear;
And how I trembled at the thought
Lest someone should appear;
But when you turned the lights all out,
To guard against surprise,
"I bade farewell to every fear,
And wiped my weeping eyes."

I thought, could I these doubts remove,
These gloomy doubts that rise,
"And see the caanan that we love
With unbeclouded eyes!" --
And as you climbed the pulpit stairs,
And viewed the landscape o'er,
"Not Jordan's stream, not death's cold flood
Could fright us from the floor."

And when you fixed the cushions up,
And I reclined at ease,
The pulpit pillow 'neath my head
And you on bended knees;
With your warm kisses on my lips,
How could I stay your hand
"The veil was lifted, and by faith,
You viewed the promised land."

And oh! what rapturous feelings
Thrilled every nerve, and when
I cried, "Oh! Lord my hear is touched,"
You shouted out "Amen."
My very soul was all ablaze,
I thought that I could see
The land of rest, the saints delight
The heaven prepared for me."

I thought "a charge to keep I have"
With mingled fear and shame:
How anxiously I watched, dear Will,
Till I came 'round again!"
In my distress I vainly strove
To check the welling tears
"The precious blood poured freely forth
And conquered all my fears."

But that was many years ago,
And I've no doubt that you
Remember still the rainy night
In Deacon Foster's pew!
But oh! my first "experience"
Will ne'er forgotten be,
"While down the stream of life we glide
To our eternity."

I'm married now, the gudeman thinks
In me he has a prize;
Ah, me! "where ignorance is bliss,
'Tis folly to be wise."
Of you, dear Will, he nothing knows
And so my heart's at rest,
"And not a wave of trouble rolls
Across my peaceful breast."

C. Deacon Foster's Pew (from Manuscript 1900(?))

Deacon Foster's Pew

I sit here thinking, Will, of you
and many days gone by.
The old church where so oft we sang
together you & I.
But thoughts of one rehearsal night
will constantly arise.
Till I can read my tithe clear
to mansions in the skies

I'm thinking of that rainy night
the rest had hurried home.
And we in Dea. Fosters' pew
were sitting all alone.
You were a seeker then dear Will
but not of things above.
The length, bredth, hight & debth
of everlasting love.

I was on the anxious seat
uncertain how to move.
Within thine arms of love enclosed
thy constancy to prove.
And Oh, the promises you made
you my own dear Will.
What peaceful hours I once enjoyed
how sweet the memory still

Oh what sweet words of love you spoke
and kissed away the tears
And how I trembled at the thought
lest someone should appear.
But when you you turned the lights all out
to guard against surprise
I bid farewell to every fear
and wiped my weeping eyes.

And when you fixed the cushions up
and I reclined at ease
The pulpit pillow 'neath my head
and you on bended knees.
With your warm kisses on my lips
how could I stay your hand
The veil was lifted and by faith
you viewed the promised land.

Oh. what rapture feelings
thrilled through my veins
I cried, Oh Lord, my heart is touched
you shouted out Amen.
My very soul was all ablaze
I thought that I could see
The land of rest, the souls' delight
The Heaven prepared for me.

I thought a charge I had to keep
with fear and shame
How anxiously I waited Will,
till I come 'round again.
In my distress I vainly strove
to check the falling tears.
The precious blood gushed freely fourth
and concurred all my fears

But that was many years ago
and I've no doubt that you
Remember still that rainy night
in Deacon Foster's pew.
But Oh my first experience
will near forgotten be
Till I shall read my tithe
clear to mansions in the skies

The descriptions and photos of Alice Jane Eastman were retrieved from Dave Curtin's webpages (1, 2, 3) on 2006-05-27. The scan of the manuscript letter is from Dave Curtin in an email received on 2005-06-27. According to Dave, this letter is in Alice's handwriting. It was discovered by Dave with other correspondence done by Alice.

D. The Rehearsal

THE REHEARSAL

I sit here thinking, Will, of you,
Of merry days gone by —
The old church, where oft we sang
Together, you and I;
But thoughts of one rehearsal night
Will constantly arise,
Till I can read my title clear
To mansions in the skies.

I'm thinking of the rainy night —
The rest had hurried home —
And we, in Deacon Foster's pew,
Were sitting all alone;
You were a seeker then, dear Will,
But not of things above —
The length, the depth, the breadth,
the height
Of everlasting love.

And I was on the "anxious" seat,
Uncertain how to move,
Within thine arms of love embraced,
Thy constancy to prove!
And oh! the promises you made —
You were my own dear Will —
What peaceful hours I once enjoyed,
How sweet their memory still

Oh! what sweet words of love you spoke,
And kissed away the tear;
And how I trembled at the thought
Lest someone should appear;
But when you turned the lights all out,
To guard against surprise,
I bade farewell to every fear,
And wiped my weeping eyes.

I thought, could I these doubts remove,
These gloomy doubts that rise,
And see the Canaan that we love
With unbeclouded eyes!
And as you climbed the pulpit stairs,
And viewed the landscape o'er,
Not Jordan's stream, not death's cold flood
Could fright us from the floor.

And when you fixed the cushions up,
And I reclined at ease,
The pulpit pillow 'neath my head,
And you on bended knees;
With your warm kisses on my lips,
How could I stay your hand;
The veil was lifted, and by faith,
You viewed the promised land.

And oh! what rapturous feelings
Thrilled every nerve, and when
I cried, Oh Lord! my heart is touched,
You shouted out Amen!
My very soul was all ablaze,
I thought that I could see
The land of rest, the saints' delight,
The heaven prepared for me.

But that was many years ago,
And I've no doubt that you
Remember still the rainy night
In Deacon Foster's pew!
But oh! my first "experience"
Will ne'er forgotten be,
While down the stream of life we glide
To our eternity.

I'm married now, the good man thinks
In me he has a prize;
Ah, me! Where ignorance is bliss,
'Tis folly to be wise.
Of you, dear Will, he nothing knows
And so my heart's at rest,
And not a wave of trouble rolls
Across my peaceful breast.

The text of D is from Rowdy Rhymes (1952).