Steal Away the spiritual

Sunday January 18th I will sing "Steal Away" a negro spiritual arranged by a British composer Rutter. I like the arrangement so I introduced Holly to it and she decided that the choir should sing it.

Rev Rush's sermon will be about women. I don't know whom he will be talking about, but this spiritual is about the Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman who was the "conductor" of that railroad.

The meaning of Steal Away has been interpreted by many people here is one I found on the web.

Spirituals are very important (in the Underground Railroad), because spirituals have layers of meaning to them.

One of my favorites is “Steal Away.” Because, in the spiritual, “Steal Away” people are not only told to “steal away” to Jesus, but also to run away. And that particular spiritual tells you when to run away, because there is a line in it, “My God calls me, he calls me by the thunder.” Well, thunder occurs only during a storm. Another line within Steal Away refers to “green trees abending.” Green trees are green and have the suppleness to bend in springtime. We’re also given information about the storm. This has been corroborated in other stories of how people waited until there was a storm, because if you left during the storm, chances were, you would not be discovered for several days. The blessing of the rain would wash away any cells from the body, and so, therefore, any scent that there was was gone. The dogs would have nothing to go by. I think Steal Away is one of those spirituals that will haunt us on many different levels and beckon, almost like the whistle of a train as you hear it far off. Written by Raymond Dobard, Ph.D., professor of art and art history Howard University.

This is from a film "Safe Harbor" This film is about the Underground Railroad.

The author says that this spiritual is his favorite as it is mine. I listened to the CD of this arrangement so much that it became ingrained in my spirit. As my voice teacher says it has become part of me. I hope I do it justice.