Old at 100?
During our worship service on 5 August, David Hunt addressed the congregation to
explain that he would be playing a piece known as the Old 100th at the conclusion of
the service as a tribute to Arthur Wallace who would be turning 100 on 7 August. As
always David’s playing was excellent and, so, it was a most appropriate way to praise
God for Arthur’s long life.
One of the most famous melodies in all of Christendom, the Protestant doxology
known as the Old 100th, is commonly attributed to Loys "Louis" Bourgeois, a French
composer and music theorist of the Renaissance.
The tune is used for a number of different hymns, including ‘All People That On Earth
Do Dwell’ and ‘Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow’. Those interested readers
might like to check out some more interesting background material at http://
songsofpraises.blogspot.com/2012/10/all-people-that-on-earth-do-dwell-old.html. It
contains links to two very different renditions of the Old Hundredth, both worth
listening to.
During the birthday celebrations, Arthur’s family invited people to share memories for
a scrapbook they were assembling. David Hunt shared a limerick-form tribute refer-
ring to Arthur’s humanitarian and egalitarian qualities. John Tyler reminded us that
Arthur built his own computer in the 1960s and how he had often seen Arthur and
Beth walking in the reserve behind their Hackett home. Margaret Hunt reminded us
how Arthur considered himself to have been very fortunate with both his wives. Here
he is with second wife, Beth, on their 1984 wedding day:
St Margaret’s News
11
August 2018