[Faith-talk] A Coal Miner's Goodbye

[Paul]

Hello and, to those of us in the U.S. and Canada, a happy Labor Day.  I hope that whatever you do on this day activity wise, that you will take time out to acknowledge, if only briefly, the Lord doing His thing in your lives, whether individually or in a group setting in which you are participating.  For the rest of you in other parts of the world, I hope that your day is going well or went well.

No doubt you're surprised about the subject line of this message.  As I may have told you previously, we have a special Labor Day presentation and here it is.  So read what follows.

The background of the words of this song is as follows, along with a brief explanation of some coal-mining terminology:  It was written by Archie Conway, a coal miner from Man, WV.  In 1938 falling slate had broken his back and rendered him paralyzed, whether from the neck or the waist down I'm not certain.  In 1940 a Library of Congress folk song collector visited him in his home and recorded his song "A Coal Miner's Goodbye," the words and tune of which were recorded on some obviously primitive recording equipment.  If those of you who are yourselves phone savvy, come into the Conversation Station this evening at about 9 p.m. eastern time to hear what Mr. Conway sang into that recording microphone.

Some explanations of coal mining terminology are as follows:  "Scabs" are people who take the place of striking miners, with unfortunate violent results in many cases.  The word "union" refers to the United Mine Workers of America." And there you have the explanations.  Of course, the word "slate" also comes up.  And now, so as not to lose more time, here are the words to this song:

For years, I've been a coal miner;
I've worked day by day in the mine,
But no longer am I a coal miner:
I have come to the end of the line.

I toiled 'neath the ground like the others;
Of hard knocks, I had quite a few.
Now my prayer as you labor, my brothers,
Is that God will be watching o'er you.

May He throw His great arm round about you,
>From harm keep everyone free.
I guess I'll be lonesome without you
Since it's quitting time, forever, for me.

My tools are all rusty, I reckon,
Alas, all 'em stacked up inside.
No longer to me do they beckon
Since I started that last fatal ride.

Someday I'll be absent forever
And be true to your union, I pray.
I'll be parted my transfer in heaven
When no slate falls will come night or day.

We will have a good local in heaven
Up there where the password is rest,
Where the business is praising our Father
And no scabs ever mar or molest.

Our Savior is on the committee;
He is pleading our cases alone.
For ages He's been on committee,
Pleading daily to God on His throne.

The Bible up there is the journal,
And the members all know it is true.
The contract up there is eternal;
It was written for me and for you.

No strikes ever happen in Heaven.
The boss loves the man, I declare;
The house is in order in heaven:
I hope I shall see you up there.

And there you have the late Archie Conway's song, whose words I hope you enjoyed reading.

Before I close, I failed to give you the phone number and code to get into the prayer and praise room that our sister Pat moderates, with God's leading of course.  If you in North America have unlimited long distance plans, call 712-432-6499 and, after you hear the very realistic steam train whistle and train bell, immediately press the pound key to jump to the main menu.  Then when prompted press 1 for live rooms, and then 6400 followed by the pound key and you should be there.  Again this presentation along with whatever else transpires occurs at 9 p.m. eastern time.

For those of you who are members of the System Access Mobile Network or SAMNET, the same song presentation will occur between 10 and 11 p.m. eastern time in the Welcome Lobby over there.

And now until tomorrow when, Lord willing we resume the wisdom gems and pearls or until we see whomever comes into the Conversation Station or SAMNET's Welcome Lobby later today, I am your obedient servant of the One who lived an earthly existence, died to pay for your sins and mine, and now lives forever to bring us His salvation and peace, Oil of Gladness.