Beulah land: heaven or not?

Squire Parsons wrote a Southern Gospel song, "Sweet Beulah Land," which has been quite popular. One stanza of it goes like this: 

Beulah Land, I'm longing for you

And some day on thee I'll stand.

There my home shall be eternal.

Beulah Land -- Sweet Beulah Land

It's clear that Parsons, and most of the others who have heard or sung this song, think Beulah Land is another name for heaven. The song appeals musically, and to the emotions. So does the idea of being with Christ in heaven. However, "heaven" wasn't the original meaning of "Beulah land."

Here's the Wikipedia: "Literary works have used "Beulah" as the name of a mystical place, somewhere between Earth and Heaven. It was so used in The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan and in the works of William Blake..." Here's a quotation, with emphasis added, from Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress:

{382} Now I saw in my dream, that by this time the Pilgrims were got over the Enchanted Ground, and entering into the country of Beulah, whose air was very sweet and pleasant, the way lying directly through it, they solaced themselves there for a season. ... Here they were within sight of the city they were going to, also here met them some of the inhabitants thereof; for in this land the Shining Ones commonly walked, because it was upon the borders of heaven. In this land also, the contract between the bride and the bridegroom was renewed; yea, here, "As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so did their God rejoice over them." [Isa. 62:5] Here they had no want of corn and wine; for in this place they met with abundance of what they had sought for in all their pilgrimage. [Isa. 62:8] Here they heard voices from out of the city, loud voices, saying, "'Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh! Behold, his reward is with him!' Here all the inhabitants of the country called them, 'The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord, Sought out'", etc. [Isa. 62:11,12]

Bunyan's Beulah land was not heaven. It was close, on the borders, to heaven, a state of fellowship with God that comes with maturity and sanctification. Note the heading of a section a little further on in the book:

"{392} Christian's conflict at the hour of death"

Another song, older than the one by Parsons, is entitled "Beulah Land," by Edgar P. Stites. It includes this: 

I’ve reached the land of corn and wine,

And all its riches freely mine;

Here shines undimmed one blissful day,

For all my night has passed away.

Refrain:

O Beulah Land, sweet Beulah Land,

As on thy highest mount I stand,

I look away across the sea,

Where mansions are prepared for me,

And view the shining glory shore,

My heav’n, my home forevermore!

It seems all but certain that the author had Bunyan's meaning in mind. The Pilgrim's Progress was, at one time, said to be the second most widely read book in English, after the Bible, and the author, who wrote these words nearly 150 years ago, would have known the book, and most likely read it.

When I was several decades younger, I heard a parody of this song on a non-religious radio station. It included:

 Saskatchewan, the land of snow

Where winds are always on the blow

Where people sit with frozen toes

And why we stay here no one knows

[Refrain]

Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan

There's no place like Saskatchewan

We sit and gaze across the plain

And wonder why it never rains

And Gabriel blows his trumpet sound

He says: "The rain, she's gone around"

This song, written by Alan Mills in 1960, used the tune of the previous one, "Beulah Land." I mention it here to indicate the popularity of the song by Stites, and, in turn, of Bunyan's work.

This post is not meant to disparage Squire Parsons, or anyone who has liked his song, but is meant to add some historical context to the subject of it. Bunyan's idea was, I think, to encourage us to be so close to God that we were ready for heaven.

Thanks for reading.

Beulah

I previously posted on the old song, "Is not this the Land of Beulah?"

I thought I would do some further research on the word, Beulah.

The Free Dictionary says:
Beu·lah n.1. The land of Israel in the Bible.2. The land of peace described in John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.

The same source notes that the word occurs in Mosses from an Old Manse and other stories by Nathanael Hawthorne, where it refers to a pleasant land. A link from that source says that the word also occurs in Jane Eyre.

The word is Biblical, occurring in Isaiah 62:4, as a land, and meaning "married." (Some versions do not use the word, beulah.)

Isa 62:4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. (KJV)

The first reference I can find in literature is, as the Free Dictionary says, in John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. Here it is:
{382} Now I saw in my dream, that by this time the Pilgrims were got over the Enchanted Ground, and entering into the country of Beulah, whose air was very sweet and pleasant, the way lying directly through it, they solaced themselves there for a season. Yea, here they heard continually the singing of birds, and saw every day the flowers appear on the earth, and heard the voice of the turtle in the land. [Isa. 62:4, Song of Solomon 2:10-12] In this country the sun shineth night and day; wherefore this was beyond the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and also out of the reach of Giant Despair, neither could they from this place so much as see Doubting Castle. Here they were within sight of the city they were going to, also here met them some of the inhabitants thereof; for in this land the Shining Ones commonly walked, because it was upon the borders of heaven. In this land also, the contract between the bride and the bridegroom was renewed; yea, here, "As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so did their God rejoice over them." [Isa. 62:5] Here they had no want of corn and wine; for in this place they met with abundance of what they had sought for in all their pilgrimage. [Isa. 62:8] Here they heard voices from out of the city, loud voices, saying, "'Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh! Behold, his reward is with him!' Here all the inhabitants of the country called them, 'The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord, Sought out'", etc. [Isa. 62:11,12]

This passage is about Christian, the Pilgrim, and his companion. Bunyan also wrote about the separate pilgrimage of Christian's wife, Christiana. Here's what he had to say about Beulah:
After this, I beheld until they were come into the land of Beulah, where the sun shineth night
and day. Here, because they were weary, they betook themselves a while to rest. And because this country was common for pilgrims, and because the orchards and vineyards that were here belonged to the King of the Celestial country, therefore they were licensed to make bold with any of his things. But a little while soon refreshed them here; for the bells did so ring, and the trumpets continually sound so melodiously, that they could not sleep, and yet they received as much refreshing as if they had slept their sleep ever so soundly.

His idea was that there is a place where the Christian is close to Heaven, having passed through most of the trials of this life, and rejected most of its temptations, where we can be close to God. The word has also been used, more recently, to refer to Heaven itself, but that's not what Bunyan had in mind.

There was a radio show, and related TV program, named Beulah. This TV show was the first TV comedy to star an African American. Ethel Waters was the first TV Beulah. The show used some racial stereotypes, unfortunately.

There are some Christian songs that use the idea of Beulah, but not all of them use it in the original sense. Some of them use the word to mean "Heaven." The most widely used is probably "Beulah Land" by Squire Parsons, who meant Heaven.

Thanks for reading.

Is Not This the Land of Beulah?

Here's the text of an old song that I like.

Is Not This the Land of Beulah? (see note below)
William Hunter, before 1884 [Note, Sept. 25, 2004: The webmaster of Timeless Truths informs me that this song was written before 1884. He or she apparently doesn't know the exact year.]
Copyright: Public Domain
Scripture: Isaiah 62:4
Tune: Is Not This the Land of Beulah? John W. Dadman

On-line source

I am dwelling on the mountain,
Where the golden sunlight gleams
O’er a land whose wondrous beauty
Far exceeds my fondest dreams;
Where the air is pure, ethereal
Laden with the breath of flow’rs,
They are blooming by the fountain,
'Neath the amaranthine bow’rs. (see note below)

Refrain:
Is not this the land of Beulah?
Blessed, blessed land of light,
Where the flowers bloom forever,
And the sun is always bright!

I can see far down the mountain,
Where I wandered weary years,
Often hindered in my journey
By the ghosts of doubts and fears;
Broken vows and disappointments
Thickly sprinkled all the way,
But the Spirit led, unerring,
To the land I hold today.

I am drinking at the fountain,
Where I ever would abide;
For I’ve tasted life’s pure river,
And my soul is satisfied;
There’s no thirsting for life’s pleasures,
Nor adorning, rich and gay,
For I’ve found a richer treasure,
One that fadeth not away.

Tell me not of heavy crosses,
Nor of burdens hard to bear,
For I’ve found this great salvation
Makes each burden light appear;
And I love to follow Jesus,
Gladly counting all but dross,
Worldly honors all forsaking
For the glory of the cross.

Oh, the cross has wondrous glory!
Oft I’ve proved this to be true;
When I’m in the way so narrow,
I can see a pathway through;
And how sweetly Jesus whispers:
"Take the cross, thou need'st not fear,
For I’ve tried the way before thee,
And the glory lingers near."

I have been so bold as to suggest some changes, attempting to make antiquated English more understandable, or replace it with something appropriate. The suggestions are in bold italic. If anyone has better suggestions, I'd appreciate them as a comment.

Is Not This the Land of Beulah?
I am living on the mountain,
Where the golden sunlight gleams
O’er a land whose wondrous beauty
Far exceeds my fondest dreams;
Where the air is pure and wholesome
Washed by blessed heavenly showers
And the land spreads out before me
With its ever-blooming flowers.

• Refrain:
  Is not this the land of Beulah?
  Blessed, blessed land of light,
  Where the flowers bloom forever,
  And the sun is always bright!
  

I can see far down the mountain,
Where I wandered weary years,
Often hindered in my journey
By the ghosts of doubts and fears;
Broken vows and disappointments
Thickly sprinkled all the way,
But the Spirit led me onward
To the land I hold today.

I am drinking at the fountain,
Where I ever would abide;
For I’ve tasted life’s pure river,
And my soul is satisfied;
There’s no thirsting for life’s pleasures,
Nor adorning, rich and gay,
For I’ve found a richer treasure,
One that does not fade away.

Tell me not of heavy crosses,
Nor of burdens hard to bear,
For I’ve found this great salvation
Makes each burden light appear;
And I love to follow Jesus,
Counting all I have as loss,
Worldly honors all forsaking
For the glory of the cross.

Oh, the cross has wondrous glory!
Oft I’ve proved this to be true;
When I’m in the way so narrow,
I can see a pathway through;
And how sweetly Jesus whispers:
“Take the cross, you need not fear,
for I've walked the way before you"
And the glory lingers near.

Beulah: Some modern popular gospel music uses this term to mean heaven. John Bunyan, in his great classic, The Pilgrim's Progress, did not use it so. He wrote: "Here they were within sight of the city they were going to, also here met them some of the inhabitants thereof; for in this land the Shining Ones commonly walked, because it was upon the borders of Heaven." I take it that he meant something like a state of Christian maturity, or the sanctified life, by the term. Merriam-Webster Online defines it as "an idyllic land near the end of life's journey in Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress."

Amarinthine: An imaginary flower that never fades. (Dictionary.com)