It sounds along the ages - William Channing Gannett

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 22 June 2004, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

1. HEAVEN ITS SPIRIT PASS-DOWN LONG-LONG-AGO UP-TO-NOW. (<) SOUL TELL-TO (>) SOUL. GOD~BOOK TEACH"each". KING D-A-V-I-D INVENT SONG LONG-LIST. PEOPLE GIVE-UP LIFE PROVE RIGHT. PROPHET TELL-STORY++, WARN"each" GOD SAY WAKE-UP.

2. M-TEACH M-O-S-E-S ANNOUNCE FROM MOUNTAIN S-I-N-A-I. BUDDHA B-U-D-D-H-A SIT"over time" HIT* UNDERSTAND LIFE. (<) GREECE KNOW, (>) JEWS KNOW. LUTHER TOO. FIRST THANKSGIVING, PILGRIM PRAY. M-A-S-S, C-O-N-C-O-R-D, WISE PEOPLE WRITE.

3. POSS-Heaven's SPIRIT SUMMON"each". NOW TIME-PERIOD JUSTICE HAPPEN. NOW TIME-PERIOD TRUTH SPREAD. WORLD ADVANCED"more and more". HIS-Heaven's MESSAGE, (<) OLD, (>) NEW, BOTH. PASS-DOWN EVERY COUNTRY. PASS-DOWN UP-TO-NOW. OUR LAW TRY EQUAL-Heaven POSS-Heaven's DEAF-POETRY THAT WE TAKE-IN-BY-EYE.


Notes: BUDDHA - (2h)[loose C dot] with DH held in the palm of NDH close to body.

LUTHER - [L], FO up, strikes palm of NDH [B], PO > DS, FO up, 2x with thumb. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - Lutheran.

PILGRIM - FT of (2h)[P] both touch sternum (midchest), then separate to sides, and then ascend to shoulders. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - Pilgrim.

EQUAL-Heaven - (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs up, and FT of DH stirkes those of NDH. NDH is held high with the bent FT facing signer so that DH strikes NDH as if one equalled Heaven.

DEAF-POETRY - [S] holds thumb side against chest, rubs up chest while twisting wrist, and opens to [5], PO up, near chest.

TAKE-IN-BY-EYE - (2h)[3], POs ><, FOs away, thumbs point at eye level and move several times > signer while wg FT (not thumb).

Lyrics:

1. It sounds along the ages, soul answering to soul;
it kindles on the pages of every Bible scroll;
the psalmist heard and sang it, from martyr lips it broke,
and prophet tongues outrang it till sleeping nations woke.

2. From Sinai's cliffs it echoed, it breathed from Buddha's tree,
it charmed in Athens' market, it hallowed Galilee;
the hammer stroke of Luther, the Pilgrims' seaside prayer,
the oracles of Concord one holy word declare.

3. It callsÑand lo, new justice! It speaks and lo, new truth!
In ever nobler stature and unexhausted youth.
Forever on resounding, and knowing nought of time,
our laws but catch the music of its eternal chime.3

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