Seventy Years Ago

Seventy years ago, my father's mother's father

Led the clan of Nicholson

He and my great grandmother had four lovely daughters

And a strong and honest son

And they traveled Arkansas and Oklahoma

Building arbors made of vine

And the people of the town would come at sundown

Some to scoff and some to see what they would find

And the sisters dressed in white

And the family sang and prayed into the night

And they rode in a covered wagon

As they walked in holiness

And they lived and preached the power

And forgiveness of the Lord

Seventy years ago

Seventy years ago, there wasn't much in preaching

But it never slowed them down

They loved the truth and all the hearts that He was reaching

And their eyes were on the crown

So they traveled Arkansas and Oklahoma

With a burning in their souls

And it drove them to their knees and to the next town

For the sake of a wealth they could not hold

And the sisters dressed in white

And the people sang and prayed into the night

And they rode in a covered wagon

As they walked in holiness

And they lived and preached the power

And forgiveness of the Lord

Seventy years ago

Sometimes I feel like a pale reflection

Living in the blessing they passed down

Some of whom have held me

Some never knew my name

But the secret has been found

And I want to give this to my children

And when I am very old

I hope there still will be a story worth the telling

Of seventy years ago

And they rode in a covered wagon

As they walked in holiness

And they lived and preached the power

And forgiveness of the Lord

Seventy years ago

Seventy years ago

Seventy years ago, my father's mother's father