GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE

Heather Allington

Heather writes for Sunday Song Book on behalf of the The Salvation Army Oshawa. As a lifelong member of the Army, she has loved these familiar - and some less familiar - songs for many years, and enjoys researching and writing about their origins. She is a wife, mother, grandmother and retired elementary school teacher who likes trying her hand at watercolour painting and poetry writing.

God is still on the throne,
And He will remember His own;
Though trials may press us and burdens distress us,
He never will leave us alone.
God is still on the throne,
And He will remember His own;
His promise is true, He will not forget you;
God is still on the throne.

So many people today are burdened and distressed – each in different circumstances, and some more so than others. How reassuring that God will never leave us alone in these earthly troubles, no matter what their cause, but He will walk with us and even share our burdens.

Kittie Louise Jennett was born in New York City in 1884. Because of her musical talent, she aspired to be a famous singer. This goal changed because of a Canadian blizzard! While Kittie was travelling by train in Canada, a blizzard halted the train. A nearby homeowner, Fred Suffield, allowed the passengers to stay in his home. When Kittie later wrote him a thank-you note, they continued to correspond, and a romance developed, resulting in their marriage and eventually their partnership as travelling evangelists. Through attending the church of A.J. Shea in Ottawa, they became acquainted with his son, George Beverly, and later hosted him in Westport, Ontario, where the Suffields were conducting meetings. It is said that when George started singing one night, his voice cracked, but when Kittie, the pianist, lowered the key, he sang beautifully, making her known as the initiator of his amazing career with Billy Graham!

This little chorus was found in the 1955 Song Book, but not in the 1987 one. Happily it was included again in the 2015 edition.