Here's a lovely hymn \" They Crucified Him\" sung definitively by James Caldwell a Scottish Bass from a 78 rpm shellac record recorded in the 1950's for the religious Redemption Records Label Played the authentic way on my beloved HMV 102 Wind up Gramophone.
They Crucified Him by John M. (Marchant) Whyte. Evangelist, hymn writer, singer, b Paris, Canada West (Ontario), 8 Jun 1850, d Toronto 17 Mar 1927. He studied at the University of Toronto and devoted himself to evangelistic and temperance work. Typical of several hundred songs for which he wrote the words or the music, or both, are 'Canada Shall Yet Be Free,' 'Toronto the Good,' and 'Song of Trust.' Many songs appeared in separate editions published by Toronto News Co or Briggs. With his brother David Albert Whyte he edited Sing Out the Glad News (Briggs 1885) and Songs of Calvary (Briggs 1889). The Great Redemption (Briggs 1894), Nuggets of Gold (Briggs 1898) and Battle Songs of the Cross (1901) contain many of his own melodies. Eight of his hymns are reprinted
Here's some notes from Karen Caldwell who's father was James Caldwell's second cousin.
\"Jim, as my Dad referred to him, was the son of William and Jean Caldwell. He was born in 1905 and had two siblings, John and Margaret (Peggy). The Caldwell family originated from Paisley, Scotland and were members of the Plymouth Brethren
My cousin has a copy of Jim Caldwell's album entitled 'Some Golden Daybreak' from 1961. The first hymn on the album is 'How Great Thou Art'. I recently discovered that Jim introduced this hymn (with the two optional verses by Stuart Hine) to the USA at a biblical convention in Long Island in 1951. My cousin remembers Jim visiting the family and enthusing about a Russian hymn that he really liked; this must have been the one, before it became famous,. Another good hymn on the album that I remember my Dad singing was 'Wait And Murmur Not'.
My father was the youngest son of a youngest son, so there was a big age gap and that meant that we didn't have very much contact with much older members branches of the family. I regret that I never had the chance to meet Jim myself. As a child I vaguely recall him coming to a town near to where I grew up, to sing in the civic hall, in about 1970/71, and my Dad going along and speaking to him afterwards.\"
Karen also mentioned in a further email \"I mentioned Jim Caldwell to Mum, she tells me that he actually visited us at our home on one occasion for dinner, probably in the early 70s. He was speaking at a local church and some of our neighbours were interested and excited to meet him. Unfortunately, I have no recollection of the occasion, how frustrating! Mum tells me that the conversation became very heavy and intense, centred around Jim's missionary work, and so after the meal my brothers and I were sent out to play.\"
