Mansion Over the Hilltop song...scriptural?

My papaw's house. As close to an earthly mansion as I've ever been

As a pastor and former music minister, I have often had to face criticism over songs that I have selected. One of the most criticized songs that I have had to defend is Mansion Over the Hilltop, written by Ira Stanphill in 1914. I've heard "it's a fleshly song," "it's only about the person and not the Savior," "it's not scriptural and shouldn't be sang in church," etc...

Well, my dear reader, this has bothered me for some time, so I decided to examine the song for it's Scriptural content and see if it cuts the mustard.

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 that's silver lined 

(Satisfied while here below)  

Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

(The ransomed) 

Isaiah 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 

(will shine)

Matthew 13:43: 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Chorus

I've got a mansion just over the hilltop
In that bright land where we'll never grow old
And some day yonder we will never more wander
But walk on streets that are purest gold 

(Mansions in Heaven) 

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

(In that bright land) 

Rev 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

(Streets of pure gold) 

Rev. 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

Verse 2

Tho’ often tempted, tormented and tested

And, like the prophet, my pillow a stone.

And tho’ I find here no permanent dwelling,

I know He’ll give me a mansion my own.

(Often tempted and tormented and tested) 

Hebrews 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

1 Corinthians 10:13: 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

James 1:12: Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

(The prophet’s pillow of stone)

Genesis 28:11: And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

(No permanent dwelling here)

2 Corinthians 5:1: For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Verse 3

Don't think me poor or deserted or lonely
I'm not discouraged I'm heaven bound
I'm just a pilgrim in search of a city
I want a mansion, a harp and a crown 

(Not concerned about being poor) 

Proverbs 28:6: Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

(Pilgrim in search of a city) 

Hebrews 11:13: These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

(A harp)

Psalm 33:2 Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

(A crown) 

James 1:12: Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 

So, there you have it friend. Is Mansion Over the Hilltop scriptural? You better believe it is. In fact, it has more Scriptural references than most songs. Is it a "selfish" song? I guess that depends on what kind of person you are. If you believe it is selfish then you are probably a selfish person, otherwise you would see that it is a beautiful song written to sing about the glories of Heaven which awaits those that are saved. It speaks of the wonders and sites of that city that God promised us and also said in His Word in Isaiah 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.  and then later backed up by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:9: But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Enjoy the below clip of my dad, James Chesney, picking and singing this good old SCRIPTURAL song. 

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Ordination Prayer

Many people have commented about the prayer that my dad prayed during my ordination service. I thought I would upload it and share it with everyone. Oh, I also put the wrong date on the video. It should be 5-31-2010.



Transcript of ordination prayer by James Chesney for his son, Byron Chesney, during his ordination into the Gospel ministry:

"Let’s pray,
Heavenly father we come to you today on this most solemn occasion. An occasion, Lord, in which we present to you a man that we believe, has been called by you to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We know Lord this is one of the highest callings there can be; the highest calling being the call to accept Christ as our Savior. But Lord we know that the ministry of the gospel is the ministry of the power of God unto Salvation to save the souls of men. Lord I pray, thanking you today, for this time that we have, this experience that we have, to present Byron to you. Lord and we pray, Lord the blessings upon him. We pray Lord that your holy spirit would rest upon him in such a way that the messages that he preaches will be powerful, they’ll move upon people’s hearts and upon people’s minds, and Lord, that we’ll see souls saved and we’ll see people reconciled to you and we’ll see backsliders come back to you. And Lord we pray that you’ll give him these great experiences as he dedicates his life to the preaching of the Gospel. And Lord we also pray that you’ll be with him during those times when they become hard. We know Lord that a Minister of the Gospel has a hard road to travel. And we know Lord that there will be times when some of the people that he thinks support him the most will turn against him. And Lord I pray that during those times that you’ll lift him up. We pray Lord that he’ll be reminded of our Lord Jesus Christ and how that He hung on the cross and all of His friends forsook Him. We pray that you will strengthen him during those times and show him that he still has the task of preaching the Gospel to those people. I pray that he’ll always preach it in love. I pray that he’ll always preach the Gospel not in the spirit of vengeance or retaliation but in the spirit of love and reconciliation reaching out to people to get them to repent of their sins and turn to Jesus Christ. And Lord, we pray too Lord, that when those times come when he sees success, we pray Father that it won’t go to his head. And we pray Lord that he’ll always understand that success that he sees is due to you it’s not due to him, and I think he knows that now, but Lord we pray for this anyway because the human mind, the human heart, is such that sometimes we allow things to affect us and we start thinking that somehow or other that it’s us, that somehow or other that we have done something great. Lord we know that it’s you; you have done the great things. Not only do we pray for him we pray for Mary. We pray Lord thanking you so much for her and standing by Byron. We pray Lord that you would continue to be with her and strengthen her and help her during times when he needs encouragement. And we pray Father, that she’ll always be there by his side and always be willing to help him during the times that he needs her. And we pray for his children. We thank you for them. We pray Lord that they will always be very pleased that their father is a Minister of the Gospel and never at any time should they ever feel somehow that they are ashamed of what he does, because Lord we know that this is one of the highest callings there could be – to preach the Gospel. And we pray for them especially Lord. Because sometimes they are in the spotlight, sometimes people are looking at them and judging them. We pray Lord for your Grace upon them. And then finally Lord, we pray that you’ll give Byron opportunity. We pray Lord believing that you called him, and we pray that you would give him opportunity to go out there and preach the Gospel and to see souls saved. And we know Lord that he prepares; we know that he studies, and I pray that you continue to help him as he learns and as he develops his preaching skills. And we pray Father, that those skills and all will be rewarded by you by offering him opportunities to serve you and opening doors that he may reach people for the Gospel’s sake. These things we pray in Jesus name. – Amen".

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