Spirit of Gentleness

I watched the wonderful Concordia College [Moorhead, MN] Christmas concert on PBS Monday night. One song they performed was Jim Manley’s great “Spirit of Gentleness,” which is in a lot of hymnals, including one of the Methodist auxiliary hymnals, “The Faith We Sing.”

Jim is an old friend and credits me with giving him a big break. Along about 1969, when I was campus minister at The Wesley Foundation at Illinois State University, I came across his first album, an audio cassette, “Raggedy Band.” I thought it was the best theological music I had ever heard, especially the songs, “You’re Gonna Hear From Him Again,” and “What We’ve All Been Waitin’ For.” The Wesley Foundation had a special fund for special occasions. I decided I would use some of it to bring Jim to our campus, so everyone could have the great experience of hearing his music, in person. I didn’t know how far we’d have to bring him. He lived in Hawaii! He was the chaplain of a children’s home there. It’s a long way from Hawaii to Normal, IL.

But we sprung for a ticket. His brother and his wife, who lived in Kansas City and didn’t get to see him very often, for obvious reasons, drove up for the occasion. Jim stayed at our house, and his brother and his wife were hosted by Dr. Deverne Dalluge and his wife, Shirley. Deverne was the treasurer of our WF board. We should have done it the other way around, because we had a cat.

We had a new room in the basement of our little ranch house on Fairchild Ave. My brother, Jim, had helped me build it. I was very proud of it and wanted Jim Manley to spend the night there before his Sunday morning worship/concert at the ISU Union Bldg. Naturally, our cat, Princess, also wanted to spend the night there. We didn’t know Jim was allergic. He had a uniquely throaty and raspy voice for that concert, which I think made it even better, more authentic, sort of Johnny Cash meets Mr. Magoo.

Later, when I pastored at Arcola, IL, Jim’s aunt, Mary Nay, was a member of our congregation. I didn’t know about that connection until Jim was in town to visit her, saw my name on the outdoor bulletin board of the church, and stopped by the parsonage. Helen and I were out of town, but daughter Katie was there, and they had a great visit, in which he told her how his ISU concert, raspy cat-enhanced voice and all, when she was only about six years old, had opened up new opportunities for him. He had recorded songs, but no one had asked him to come perform before.

Jim always called Mary Nay “Uncle Mary,” because he had so many Aunt Marys that she had told him when he was a little boy, “Well, you can just call me Uncle Mary.” She was that kind of woman. A couple of years later, Jim and I did her funeral together.

Jim’s still writing great music, and he still has that special voice. I think Princess may have altered it forever.

Our grandchildren laugh at us and say, “Grandpa, you know EVERYBODY.” Well, yes, I know all the important people, and Jim Manley is the one with the great voice and the great lyrics. I’d like to have “Spirit of Gentleness” sung at my funeral, preferably by Jim, but if he’s not available, the combined Concordia Choirs will have to do.

May the spirit of gentleness be with you,
JRMcF

[You can learn more about Jim’s music, and even order it, at http://www.manleymusic.com/]