"Mansion Over the Hilltop"

This song was written in 1949 by Ira F. Stanphill. He was born on February 14, 1914. He was a  very gifted musician.  By the age of 10 he was playing the piano, organ, ukulele, and the accordion.  He was singing and composing by the time he reached 17.  He participated in revival crusades, prayer meetings, and ten campaigns.  He graduated from the Junior College in Chillicothe, Missouri, and later was made an honorary Ph.D. from Hyles-Anderson College in Indiana.  He preached and sung all over America and 40 other countries.  He was inducted into the GMA Hall of Fame in 1981 and published his autobiography, This Side of Heaven, in 1983. He wrote over 550 gospel songs throughout his life. Rev. Stanphill departed this world on December 30, 1993 and is buried in Johnson County Chapel and Memorial Gardens in Overland Park, Johnson County, Kansas

A story told by evangelist Bro. Gene Martin, who was preaching at Bethel Temple Assembly of God Church in Oak Cliff, Texas. Inspired the pastor, Rev. Albert Ott to make the suggestion to Bro. Stanphill to write a song about the mansion that waits for us over there in heaven and he immediately wrote the lyrics and sang the song that very night.  Unfortunately, Bro. Gene Martin was not present that night this favorite hymn was born. 

This is the way his story was told.  One day a wealthy man facing bankruptcy took a drive through the rural part of the country. As he passed one particular house it caught his attention. It was needing a paint job and repairs of all kinds. The broken window glasses were replaced with oil paper. Many shingles as well as part of the roof were missing which made him wonder how the house was even still standing. A young girl about the age of 8 or 9 and poorly dressed was playing in the front yard. The man was compelled to stop and talk to the young girl. In their conversation, he mentioned how sorry he was that she lived in such a poor surrounding. The little girl excitely asked him, "Why haven't you heard? My daddy just inherited a fortune and he's building us a mansion just over that hill over there. Don't know when it will be done, but I won't have to live in this house forever.

Song Lyrics
Verse 1
I'm satisfied with just a cottage below
A little silver and a little gold.
But in that city where the ransomed will shine
I want a gold one thats silver lined.

Chorus
I've got a mansion just over the hilltop
In that bright land where we'll never grow old
And someday yonder, we will never more wander
But walk on streets that are pure as gold.

Verse 2
Though often tempted, tormented, and tested
And like the prophet, my pillows a stone
And though I find here no permanent dwelling
I know He'll give me a mansion my own.

Verse 3
Don't think me poor or deserted or lonely
I'm not discouraged I'm heaven bound
I'm but a pilgram in search of the city.
I want a mansion, a harp, and a crown.

This is the earliest version I found this song posted.

Polly's story on this YouTube page is a must read which promoted me to use this video here.

Other songs he wrote that I love:
Room at the Cross for You copyright 1946
I Know Who Holds Tomorrow copyright 1950
Suppertime copyright 1950



Sources:
Southern Gospel History webpage
posts made from different people on Name that Hymn.com
Baxter, pp. 19-21
Osbeck, pp. 231-2
Reynolds, p. 434

Update:  March 7, 2014 So far out of all of my posts about songs this has received the most hits 1159 to be exact the others have not even hit 1000 mark yet. 

"I've Got My Foot on the Rock"

This has been the second most difficult searches so far. I am currently still gathering as much information as I can to make the most accurate post, so check back later for updates. If you have come across my blog and know of any information that is not posted please leave a comment to the tribute and I will be sure to add it or just send me an email my email address is listed at the top of this page.

I found that the author of this song is Rev. Zenus Lavanul Sherrill born December 25, 1943.  He is a United Pentecostal pastor of over 40 years and currently pastors at Prayer Tabernacle UPCI in Town Creek Alabama.  He first received his ministers license on January 14, 1972.  According to his wife he wrote this song in the late 1960's and at this time it is the information I have.

Growing up in the 70's and 80's I didn't know much able where songs came from or who wrote them.  I only know them from people I was around who sung them.  This is one of those songs that I remember traveling from one town to another that use to take hours to travel.  We were in a truck and the kids sit in the back and we would sing our hearts out to pass time away on our way to see relatives.  This is one of the more pleasant memories I have of my childhood.  This is one of those songs we would bellow out in the back of that old pickup truck.  I gave my heart and life to Jesus and this song took on a whole new meaning in many trying times for the next years to come, but I was determined as you see "I had made up my mind that Jesus was the best thing that I had ever found.  I didn't know what true love was until that grateful night of Oct in 1991 as that was the night that I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost at the age of 18 years old.  I personally want to thank him, because whenever I sing this song, there is always power in the words that gives me the strength I need to keep fighting this Good Fight of Faith.

Many Famous Gospel Singers have recorded it on their albums, starting with the earliest one I was able to find in my search.Uncle Alf & The Lefevres
1978 Uncle Alf & the Lefevres "Reborn" album
1979 Lamar Sago Family "Hallelujah Square" album
1981 The Inspirations "Is That Footsteps I here" album
1982 The Perrys "Under Control" album
1984 The Nelons "I've Got My Foot on the Rock" album
1984 The Greene's "Child of the King"

Song Lyrics to "I've Got My Foot on the Rock"
Verse 1

I STARTED OUT TO WIN THIS RACE,

TO SERVE THE LORD AND TO LOOK UPON HIS FACE.

BUT THE WAY'S BEEN LONG AND THE WAY'S BEEN ROUGH,

BUT THERE'S ONE THING FOR SURE

 I'VE GOT MY MIND MADE UP.

Chorus
I'VE GOT MY FOOT ON THE ROCK AND MY MIND'S MADE UP.

THO I WALK THROUGH THE LONELY VALLEY

TH0 I DRINK FROM THE BITTER CUP

WHEN THE DEVIL COMES A KNOCKING

SHOWING ME A EASIER WAY.

I STAND RIGHT SQUARE ON MY FEET

I THROW MY HEAD IN THE AIR

I LOOK HIM STRAIGHT IN THE EYE

I SAY MY FOOT'S ON THE ROCK AND MY MINDS MADE UP.

Verse  2

THE DEVIL HE WILL TEMPT YOU

AND FILL YOUR WAY WITH STRIFE.

HE'LL MAKE YOU SICK IN BODY EVEN TRY TO TAKE YOUR LIFE.

BUT PUT YOUR TRUST IN JESUS

 SAY LORD I'VE HAD ENOUGH

THE LORD WILL SAY MOVE ON SATAN

HE'S GOT HIS MIND MADE UP.

Verse 3

NOW JOB WAS A MAN WHO WAS TEMPTED IN EVERY WAY,

THE DEVIL TOOK HIS FAMILY HE LAY SICK NIGHT AND DAY.

HIS WIFE SHE CAME A SAYING CURSE GOD

YOU'VE HAD ENOUGH

HE SAID YOU TALK LIKE A FOOLISH WOMAN

 I'VE GOT MY MIND MADE UP.

 

Inspirations- I've Got My Foot On The Rock

this is the 1981 album version

Published by SG Classics on Jan 23, 2010 

Here is a version that's been restored
The Inspirations-Topic
Published on March 1, 2018

Other songs he has written:

Don't Pass Calvary

Have You Heard

The Name of Jesus

City Coming Down (This song was in the top 40's chart back in 1985 on the Speers family album Rejoicing recorded by Riversong Records.)  It is also one of the first full production concept videos in Southern Gospel Music. Created in 1985, it features The Speer Family singing "City Coming Down".

Here is a website posting 3 sermons he preached along with other good messages from other preachers.
http://www.gospeloftruth.org/sermons_gs_2012.html

"The Lighthouse"

This song is also one of my favorite songs.  I have sung it in church many times throughout the years.  I found that it was written in 1970 by Ronnie Hinson who was a teenager at the time.  He and his siblings were at "The Pentecostal Tabernacle" rehersing for an upcoming concert and were searching for new material.  Ronnie went to the downstairs bathroom with the intention of coming back with their new original hit song, and they all had a good laugh.  He was gone for several minutes and returned to the sanctuary with a long piece of toilet paper with the title "The Lighthouse."  As he begin to sing someone grabbed it wadded it up, laughed and told them to get back to the hymnals.  His brother Kenny, their guitar player, collected that piece of toilet paper out of the trash as he had an idea.  When he started playing and singing the presence of the Lord filled the santuary, and from that point on it  was a hit. 

This is not the end of the story because at the time Ronnie had wrote this song he had never laid eyes on a lighthouse before.  He truly did not understand what was so special about his song, until he jumped on his bicycle and rode 30 miles to find a lighthouse.  He parked his bike and climbed up on a sand dune and for the first time to his knowledge saw the Pigeon Point Lighthouse in Santa Cruz, California.  As he sat staring at the lighthouse that was so desolate looking, He thought, "What a scene," there stood the lighthouse filled with hope in the middle of all that dreary hopelessness of the gray ocean. He then looked at the words written on that piece of toilet paper and with tear filled eyes he knew that it was something that God had orchestrated.  No matter how many songs he wrote or how many awards he received for writing them he always remembers that trip to the lighthouse as Gods way of keeping him humble.

Ronnie along with his siblings Kenny, Larry, and Yvonne sung as a gospel group for the first time in 1967 during a revival service at a small church in Freedom, California.  The were first known as the Singing Hinson Family and as they got more popular just The Hinsons.  However now they are known as The Original Hinsons so they are distinguished from Bo Hinsons' group known as the New Hinsons.

"The Lighthouse" Lyrics

There's a Lighthouse on the hillside
That over looks life's sea
When I'm tossed it sends out a light
That I might see
And the light that shines in darkness now
Will safely lead us o'er
If it wasn't for the Lighthouse
My ship would be no more

Chorus:
And I thank God for the Lighthouse
I owe my life to Him
For Jesus is the Lighthouse
And from the rocks of sin
He has shown a light around me
That I could clearly see
If it wasn't for the Lighthouse (tell me)
Where would this ship be?

Everybody that lives about us
Says tear that Lighthouse down
The big ships don't sail this way anymore
There's no use of it standing round
Then my mind goes back to that stormy night
When just in time I saw the light
Yes, the light from that old Lighthouse
That stands up there on the hill

Repeat Chorus (x2)
If it wasn't for the Lighthouse (tell me)
Where would this ship be?

Ronnie Hinson singing "The Lighthouse"

"If I Could Just Touch the Hem of His Garment"

This song was written by Rev. Glen A. Rice in the early 1950's.  He and his wife first sung it in a tent meeting in Pascagoula, Mississippi in 1954.  Rev. Roy Smith from Kellyville, Oklahoma and Sis Florence Smith conducted this meeting.  They traveled all over the south, holding this meetings and were close personal friends to Bro and Sis Rice.

Thanks to a guest comment below, I learned that a group named Sego Brothers and Naomi recorded and sung this song back in the 1960's.    This group was formed in 1958 and they were from Macon, GA.  They appeared on local TV where they became locally popular.  By 1964 they became known nationally and are believed to be the first southern gospel group to sell over a million records from their hit, "Sorry, I Never Knew You,"

 In the early 1980’s the Spencer Family was looking to record it and contacted Rev. Rice.  They gave him the copyright, recorded it on their 1984 album called “Moving Out.” They also had the song printed in one of their songbooks.  The copy in the songbook is a tiny bit different than the original.  Rev. Glen and his wife Ruby (also a minister) sung this song as a duet almost everywhere they went to preach. It has been sung at many camp meetings, brush arbor meetings, revivals, and churches as far reaching as imaginable.  I am 39 and can remember hearing this song as a child myself, but I never knew who wrote it or it’s story which I believe to be just as important.



According to an article written in the Holinessministries, “A Tribute to Bro. Glen Rice” written by Bro. Aaron Brock, “Bro. Rice wrote at least 24 songs in his lifetime.”

Rev. Glen Rice was born on April 16, 1908, he was a pentecostal holiness preacher originally  from the Bristow, Ok area.  He married Ruby in April 16, 1936 and in this same year founded the Holiness Church in Stroud, OK.   Also, pastoring 10 years in Thayer Mo., but returned to Stroud, OK.   Most of his ministry was spent in Stroud, OK where he pastored until he was 88 years old.  He spent the last two years of his life in the nursing home that he and his wife had conducted services in three times a week for years and years.  Rev. Glen Rice passed from this life on November 9, 2004, but he has left everyone a little sermon wrapped up in this favorite song that is still being heard in churches as far reached as any new poplar song to come.

Special thanks to Jean Slease who has helped me gather correct information about Rev. Glen Rice.
 

Words to the Original Version sung by Bro and Sis Rice.

A woman one day tried many physcians

But rather grew worse in the Bible we're told

One day when she had heard, she came to Jesus

And found what she needed for body and soul

Chorus:

If I could just touch the hem of His garment

If I could just touch some part of His clothes

I know I'd be healed, my sins are forgiven

If I could just touch Him, I know I'd be whole

Blind Bartimus sat by the wayside begging

Nobody to help him down life's weary way

When Jesus came by, He heard His sad crying

He touched his blind eyes and healed Him that day

Nicodemus came to Jesus by night,

His eyes were blinded to the things that were right.

He could not understand how a man when he's old

Could be born of God's Spirit, have life for his soul.

Spencer Family titled it Hem of His Garment in 80's and sung it a little different and added this verse.

One day I sat by the wayside begging

Nobody to help me down life's weary way

Then Jesus came by and He heard my sad crying

He reached down His hand and He saved me that day

The Sego Brothers and Naomi singing "Hem of His Garment" 1960's

 

The Spencers singing "Hem of His Garment"

featuring their mother Barbara Spencer

This song is also known as

"If I Could Just Touch the Hem of His Garment"

 

 

Other Songs by Rev. Rice:

 

We're Almost There