FUTIM-Orange, NJ, Feb 16, 2013
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"FUTIM" is an abbreviation of "First United Tabernacle International Ministries". This New Jersey church is heavily influenced by Jamaican church traditions.
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases three YouTube videos of people singing the 1970s or earlier Caribbean Pentecostal song "Blessed Holy Ghost Come Down Fall On Zion".The lyrics to this song are also included in this post.
This post also includes an excerpt from an online article about music in Jamaican Pentecostal church services compared with music in Jamaican Catholic churches..
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the composer/s of this song and thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
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LYRICS - BLESSED HOLY GHOST COME DOWN FALL ON ZION
Blessed Holy Ghost come down fall on Zion
Blessed Holy Ghost come down fall on Zion
And if you call at midnight Jesus hears he will answer
And if you call at midnight the Holy Ghost set your soul on fire
The inspiration-of-the-preacher-send-the-sinner-to-the-altar
Set your soul on fire
Blessed Holy Ghost come down fall on Zion.
"I recorded this ancient pentecostal chorus this week, I really enjoyed doing it, because it brings back very fond memories especially of those who loved it and who have passed on.
-Derick Washington Rose [October 26, 2012 https://www.soundclick.com/music/songInfo.cfm?songID=11966435 Blessed Holy Ghost
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Repeatedly singing a short praise and worship song (also known as a "chorus") is a traditional custom in Jamaican and other Caribbean and Caribbean Diaspora Pentecostal church services. That custom helps to bring down the Holy Spirit.
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SHOWCASE #2 -Blessed Holy Ghost come down fall on Zion Medley Daniel God surely will deliver
Charmaine Heather Moorhouse, Jan 22, 2019
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Here's a comment from this video's discussion thread:
Boo BahYah, 2019
"Sang this as a v. little girl in the 70's came into my mind but couldnt remember the lyrics... Now can sing in devotion with my kids. Thank you sis xx"
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The lyrics to the "Blessed Holy Ghost Come Down.." portion of this song is the same as the lyrics that are given above. Here's the lyrics for the "Daniel God will surely deliver" song that is sung in that medley:
"Daniel God surely will deliver
Daniel God surely will deliver
If you only look to Him, my friend
Daniel God surely will deliver."
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"Daniel" refers to the Biblical character who was thrown in the lion's den. Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_in_the_lions%27_den for this Biblical story and its background.
"Daniel God surely will deliver" means "Daniel's God surely will deliver protection."
I believe that the word "Zion" in this song is a reference for the church where the people are worshipping as well as a referent for the people who are singing this song (i.e. people who are saved/followers of Jesus Christ.)
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SHOWCASE #3: UNDA DI BLOOD ORIGNAL VIDEO (under the blood) under the blood jamaica
AllisonAFBCI, Aug 26, 2022 #UNDA
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This is the first song in this two hour plus video.
The lyrics in this version uses past tense "Blessed Holy Ghost came down...". This version and the version sung in Showcase Video #2 use the plural form "The inspiration of the preacher sends the sinners to the altar.” instead of the singular form of "sinner" that is found in the lyrics that are given above.
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ADDENDUM - MUSIC IN JAMAICAN PENTECOSTAL CHURCH SERVICES
From https://www.catholicsandcultures.org/jamaica/worship Music and movement embody Jamaican worship; Jamaica • Worship by: Thomas M. Landy (no publishing date given)
"The word “style” can seem trivial or even consumerist when
it comes to culture, but in Jamaica, as in many other countries, the style of
worship is extremely important. Pentecostal worship sets the norms against
which all other worship is commonly perceived on the island. This sets up a
tension between North American Catholic styles of worship and the norms
established by Jamaican Revivalism and Pentecostalism. When explaining why
people are attracted to or dismayed by Catholicism, and to explain why Catholic
affiliation is declining, Jamaicans often cite the style of liturgy, especially
interpretations of how staid or lively it is.
Still, not surprisingly, not all Jamaicans want the same
style of worship at Mass. Social class does influence perception. Broadly
speaking, middle and upper class Catholics are more likely to prefer more
European and North American Catholic styles of worship, and poorer Catholics
tend to prefer the addition of more Pentecostal influences. Almost all Catholic
liturgies here adopt elements of Pentecostal worship, along a style spectrum
that ranges from what might be described as a gentler Caribbean lilt to efforts
to preach in a more full-blown Jamaican Pentecostalist style, including call
and response.
Pentecostal worship in Jamaica puts a premium on enthusiasm and emotional response, extremely active oral and bodily participation, speaking in tongues, healing, saving and cleansing. Pentecostal-style Jamaican worship is expected to be joyful, to provide worshipers with a "good time," even if at other times it includes strong calls toward repentance.1
Diane Austin-Broos describes the order of worship services
at Pentecostal churches as "nearly always the same: choruses and hymns
began the gathering, followed by a reading from the psalms, then prayers and a
reading from the gospels, healing through water sprinkling and laying on of
hands, a sermon and collection hymn, after which would come further choruses
and the possession of band members by their prophets or evangelists, followed
by laboring in the spirit, and finally, prayers and dispersal of the
band."2
Music plays a central role in Pentecostal worship, “as an embodiment of worship rather than as a frame for worship.”3 This tendency carries over incompletely into Jamaican Catholic worship, which still aims to give central experience to word and sacrament, but also often tries to incorporate that Jamaican Pentecostal cultural norm without letting it “overpower” word and sacrament.
Movement—swaying rhythmically, waving hands, clapping, greeting all in church at the kiss of peace—has become much more important in Jamaican Catholic liturgies than it is in much of the Catholic world. Jamaicans often find Catholic movement (kneeling, standing and sitting quietly) to be relatively inert, and many have adopted a more charismatic or Pentacostalist style. Middle- and upper-class Jamaicans long tended to prefer more European style services, whether liturgical or word-based ones, but this is changing as Pentecostalism becomes the norm. Many will still hesitate because they see the European style movement as more respectable.
Style of dress plays a significant role in Jamaicans’
experience with churchgoing. Asked for a visual that most represents religion
in Jamaica, many Jamaicans describe women dressed to the nines, wearing a hat
and with children in tow, carrying a Bible on the way to church. Catholics in
interviews said that one of the things that made them stand out from other
worshipers in Jamaica is the fact that they are more at ease about clothing and
welcome anyone, no matter how dressed, to church.”…
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This excerpt doesn't include any of the photographs or videos that are included in this post.
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