Up from the grave He arose … Because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him. Acts 2:24

        Easter week has arrived. Today Christians throughout the world celebrate Good Friday. Easter Sunday morning, if you are in church and I hope you are, congregations will sing a favorite hymn, “Up from the Grave He Arose.”

    Low in the grave He lay, Jesus, my Savior.

    Waiting the coming day, Jesus, my Lord.

    He a-rose, He a-rose, with a mighty triumph o’er his foes.

    He a-rose a victor from the dark domain,

    And He lives forever with His saints to reign.

    He a-rose! He a-rose! Hallelujah! Christ a-rose.

    — Robert Lowry (1826-1899)

        Robert Lowry never planned to be a composer of gospel music and as well a hymn writer. All he ever wanted to do was fill the pulpit as a dynamic preacher of God’s word. He said, “I would rather preach a gospel sermon to an appreciative audience than write a hymn.”

         But our Father in Heaven had additional plans for Robert Lowry. Indeed, he studied theology at the University of Lewisburg and upon graduation was ordained a Baptist minister. And, yes, over a 45-year-period, Robert Lowry pastored a total of five churches in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. He was a busy man.

    In 1869 he returned to Lewisburg as a faculty member and eventually became its chancellor. From 1880 until 1886 he was president of the New Jersey Baptist Sunday School Union. Throughout it all, he married and had three sons.

         But today it is as a hymn writer that he is universally known and renowned.

         Yes, he was busy doing God’s work, he thought. But God was calling Robert Lowry for a greater cause, His music. As he prepared his sermons, taught classes, and managed the University at Lewisburg, musical lyrics encircled his thoughts. It is stated that throughout his life, Robert Lowry wrote over 500 compositions.

         We all know that sometimes it is the music that touches a heart and will prick the soul rather than the message from the pulpit.

         The stories that propelled Robert Lowry’s music are truly a God-thing — one in particular, “Shall We Gather at the River?” While serving in the Civil War, Robert Lowry found himself exhausted from the heat and lying near a river for relief. While resting, he thought of the verses in the book of Revelation that described the river flowing from the throne of God. He said, “I began to wonder why the hymn-writers had said so much about the ‘river of death’ and so little about the ‘pure water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb.’” Thus the beginnings of the old hymn were born.

         Later, post-Civil War, his thoughts continued, “Shall we be among the privileged number who stands before the throne singing the praises of the Savior?” Immediately he went to his pump organ and composed the song.

         When Robert Lowry composed Christ Arose, known by many only from the words of the chorus, “Up from the Grave He Arose,” he was inspired by the words of the angel at Christ’s empty tomb, who said to the frightened women, He is not here, but is risen!”

    As you sing this hymn on Sunday morning, take special notice how the tune begins with a somber tone, but builds to great joy. Hallelujah! Christ Arose!

         Lowry also composed “Follow-On (with William O. Cushing),” “Nothing But the Blood,” “How Can I Keep From Singing?” and he wrote the music and refrain for “Marching to Zion” (words by Isaac Watts). Additional edited works include these volumes: “Happy Voices (1865)” “Royal Diadem (1873)” and many others.

         If you want to know more about the composers, there is an excellent source in book form, “The Story of the Tunes” by Hezekiah Butterworth (1890).

         Today Robert Lowry is remembered as an inspired writer of hymns even though he would have preferred to be known as an inspired preacher of God’s word. He said, “Music, with me has been a side issue. … I have always looked upon myself as a preacher and felt a sort of depreciation when I began to be known more as a composer.”