Brother William

He attended our church for fifty-one years,
whenever we sang his eyes filled with tears,
His body would tremble; his voice was so weak,
No one ever offered to let him speak.

He sat in the church, way off to one side,
He'd shout "Amen pastor"; why that's undignified,
He'd lift up his hands when someone would pray,
And the good members wished he'd go away.

Irreverent they would call him, "Old Fogey" they'd say,
His actions will drive our young people away
Someone should tell him that he's doing wrong,
When he shouts "hallelujah" in the midst of a song.

But then came the night our preacher was ill,
But whom did he ask, why old Brother Bill,
The members were dumb-founded, what could they do?
The preacher should have known better, but he was new.

Will didn't have a text, so he read just one verse,
Didn't have the three points, what could be worse?
Friends, he said softly, you don't like to hear me shout,
But the love that's within me just has to come out.

I haven't always known that Jesus loved me,
I didn't understand why He died on a tree,
But now I must tell you that I'm born again,
Washed in His blood, cleansed of all sin.

You say I'm emotional; you have Jesus to blame,
I can't keep from shouting when I hear His name,
My feet won't be still, my hands I must raise,
What He's done for me deserves all my praise.

He gave me new life, from sin set me free,
You must hear the new language He gave to me,
From the top of my head to the soles of my feet,
He bathed me in oil, it's fragrance so sweet.

For Amazing Grace, Oh how sweet is that sound,
When I was a sinner, it was me that He found,
The Old Rugged Cross fills my eyes with tears,
For The Rock of All Ages now carries my fears.

Oh, What a Friend, says I'm never alone,
I'm just passing thru, this world's not my home,
The Lily of the Valley is whom I'll trust and obey,
My Redeemer Lives tells me I'll soon fly away.

Since He Touched Me, I know My God is Real,
Standing on His Promises, His presence I feel,
His name is Jesus, The Sweetest Name I know,
Listen to me friends that is why I love Him so.

I can't begin to tell you what he means to me,
For His love unselfish kept Him nailed to a tree,
Brother William stopped speaking and fell to one knee,
Grabbed his chest and shouted, "He's coming for me."

Our church is now different; it's just not the same,
Hands raised in gladness, we sing praises to His name,
Brother Will's seat is vacant, has been since that day,
And Angel came down and filled our pulpit God's way.

Our hearts are now filled with God's love within,
For like Brother William we've been born again,
The Holy Spirit, about which we raised such a fuss,
Now like Pentecost is being poured out on us.