Edward Roy Hindman

West Point, 1949

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Susan Lee Hindman on December 23, 2011:

My Dad marched out on The Plain when he was a cadet at West Point and in his senior year he was marching out distinctly in front as a Captain and Battalion Commander. Dad wore the beautiful helmet with the tall shimmering black ostrich feathers on top that marked him as one of the few outstanding top cadets of his entire USMA Class of 1949! I also marched in my awarding winning Fort Hunt High School Marching Band for three years as a member of the Flag Corps. Dad was always faithful to me and went to our home football games when we marched at half time, and would also come out to take pictures of me and the band at our many marching band competitions held at other High Schools in Fairfax County. Dad would really love to hear this well known lively Christian hymn of the Church called We're Marching to Zion, written by the famous English theologian Isaac Watts (1674-1748). Baptist Pastor Robert Wadsworth Lowry (1826-1899) wrote the tune and the chorus in 1867. This hymn was first titled "Heavenly Joy on Earth" and appeared in Watts Hymns and Spiritual Songs in 1707. Jeremiah 31:6 says "For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God." Dad really liked the classic book written by English Pastor John Bunyan called The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come and which was published in February 1678. This Christian allegory is about the main character called Christian who journeys from his hometown called the "City of Destruction", which is a type of this world, to the "Celestial City" which is that which is to come to Heaven and Mt. Zion. Glory Hallelujah!!! Dad really got saved and born again when he prayed to receive our Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. I had the privilege of leading Dad to Jesus Christ! Dad then saw spiritually and the blindness fell from his eyes, and he felt his genuine need for a Savior to forgive his sins. The burden of his heart was taken away and he was free from all guilt!!! Dad was no longer spiritually blind but then saw Jesus that He is the Lord of all and received Him as The Light of the world, and gained that wonderful personal relationship with God and became a new creature in Christ!!! II Corinthians 5:17 says "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." St. John 9:25 says, "He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see." The New Testament Book of St. John chapter 3 and verses 16-18 say, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Isaiah 9:2 says, "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." Isaiah 9:6-7 prophesied about the coming Messiah and says, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." I repeat this hymn here for your great joy and edification: WE'RE MARCHING TO ZION 1. Come, we that love the Lord, And let our joys be known, Join in a song with sweet accord, Join in a song with sweet accord And thus surround the throne, And thus surround the throne. 2. Let those refuse to sing Who never knew our God, But children of the heav'nly King, But children of the heav'nly King, May speak their joys abroad, May speak their joys abroad. 3. The hill of Zion yields A thousand sacred sweets Before we reach the heav'nly fields, Before we reach the heav'nly fields, Or walk the golden streets, Or walk the golden streets. 4. Then let our songs abound And every tear be dry; We're marching through Immanuel's ground, We're marching through Immanuel's ground, To fairer worlds on high, To fairer worlds on high. Chorus: We're marching to Zion, Beautiful, beautiful Zion; We're marching upward to Zion, The beautiful city of God. Have a very blessed day and Christmas!!! Love in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the great and Mighty God, Susan Lee Hindman Daughter and Christian Soldier of the Cross and Administrative Assistant to the Principal Director for Enterprise Services Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Office of the Secretary of Defense U.S. Department of Defense The Pentagon Room 3C852A (703) 697-7448 main telephone number Email: susan.hindman@osd.mil

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