Twila Paris Follow

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