In August of 1968, I arrived at my dorm room in Fisher Hall for my senior year at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, and the first thing my roommate had unpacked was his Kenmore turntable, amplifier and speakers. We didn’t know yet where we wanted to set up his system, but that didn’t matter; we had to have music. And the shrink wrap just came off the first vinyl that went down on the turntable — a brand new release from the folk group Peter, Paul & Mary that we couldn’t wait to hear, “Late Again.” Our excitement was heightened by the fact that we had just heard that Noel Paul Stookey, the “Paul” of the group, had just become a Christian and that there was a song about that on this new album. So it was that we first heard the song, “Hymn.”
Hymn
by James Mason / Karen Gold / Noel Paul Stookey
Sunday morning, very bright, I read Your book by colored light
That came in through the pretty window picture.
I visited some houses where they said that You were living
And they talked a lot about You
And they spoke about Your giving.
They passed a basket with some envelopes;
I just had time to write a note
And all it said was “I believe in You.”
Passing conversations where they mentioned Your existence
And the fact that You had been replaced by Your assistants.
The discussion was theology,
And when they smiled and turned to me
All that I could say was “I believe in You.”
I visited Your house again on Christmas or Thanksgiving
And a balded man said You were dead,
But the house would go on living.
He recited poetry and as he saw me stand to leave
He shook his head and said I’d never find You.
My mother used to dress me up,
And while my dad was sleeping
We would walk down to Your house without speaking.
At first we didn’t know what to think. There was nothing obvious about this song — nothing ”evangelical.” Except for “I believe in You,” the song was pretty depressing. God was dead, and replaced by theologians who didn’t offer much hope of finding Him. And yet, as we studied it and listened over and over, the more we were taken by his revelation of finding the reality of a personal connection with God in spite of the dead theology he found in the churches he attended. We concluded that this was, in fact, his message. And when you consider the last three lines of the song where he remembers his mother taking him to church as a child, this was actually similar to Love Song’s “Welcome back to the things that you once believed in.” We’ve all come home. This song didn’t present the plan of salvation, but if someone really paid attention, it got them searching.
Of course now we know this was all true, and Noel is on our team of original Jesus Music artists looking to create a new song of hope for a waiting generation. This is also proof that the first songs about Jesus that paved the way for the Jesus Movement were from “secular” artists like the Doobie Brothers, Norman Greenbaum, Barry McGuire, Bob Dylan, and Creedence Clearwater Revival to name only a few. The Holy Spirit was already loose on the culture even before the Christians got wind of it and even before some of the artists themselves knew it.
Noel Stookey heard the message and wrote it on a tablet as a song, and runners ran with it.
John Fischer The Catch 
Loved Today’s Catch!
And if you can please Pastor John consider asking Paul who wrote “Puff the Magic Dragon?” B/C even thou I like A LOT of Peter, Paul & Mary’s songs that one touches me deep inside and often brings back very fond childhood memories.
Also thank him for writing and never collecting a Penney on “There is Love” one of the BEST Wedding songs!
PS or if anyone else knows what’s behind the song of: Puff the Magic Dragon..?
I took my owe advice as I have suggested to you Pastor John in recording you reading the Catch to Goggle it: (so here’s the story behind Puff the Magic Dragon)
“In 1962, one of the most endearing children’s folk songs was written. Initially penned as a poem, the story of “Puff the Magic Dragon” was of a friendly flying serpent who lived by the sea in a land far away—Honah Lee—and enjoyed frolicking in the autumn mist.
Recorded and released by folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, “Puff The Magic Dragon” became an instant hit, relishing in childhood innocence and imagination, and a special imaginary friend.
Ogden Nash’s Dragon Poem
In 1959, 19-year-old Leonard Lipton, then studying at Cornell University in New York, wrote a poem, inspired by a 1936 poem by American poet Ogden Nash (1902-1971), “The Tale of Custard The Dragon.” Though poetry wasn’t his forte, the physics major was convinced he could write a better “dragon” poem than Nash’s and began typing his new story up on roommate Peter Yarrow’s typewriter.
Yarrow found the poem and wrote “Puff the Magic Dragon” based on Lipton’s poem.
Peter, Paul and Mary
By the time Yarrow formed Peter, Paul and Mary with Paul Stookey and Mary Travers (1936-2009), he already had the song “Puff the Magic Dragon.” Pulled from Lipton’s original poem, Yarro renamed the dragon “Puff” and gave his former roommate writing credit when the song was later released by the group in 1963.”
Found in the American Song writer:
Love that song. I used to sing it often. Thanks for bringing it up. It still speaks to me in its simplicity. We worry too much about theology and living my rules and the like. Back to the basics. I believe in you.
My dear brother in Christ, I love that you are led back to the music for, well, just to me, maybe, you and the words you put down on tablets has and will always be so instrumental in my growth to be like our Christ! Year ago I had given await and sold all of MY “Christian” music but learned that each or journeyed includes a myriad of steps through which such a great God had brought each of us and that music was a party of that for me. I listen to whatever of yours, is on YouTube and, well, as I have had several cell phones through this technological age now, lol, I do not know what happened to the very precious Dark Horse album you sent to me. I still recall so many of your songs and sing them to myself WHOLE lot! Don’t hide that gift under a bush buddy! Please, let your soul stir again you good man.
Steve Peery
So sweet. Thank you, Steve. Send me your email address so I can send you another Dark Horse. [email protected]
Great Message and great song. Years ago it might have seen kind of sad but, so true in getting people to search for salvation. It is always the best when folks try to find the right path to this and following Jesus each day and remembering his courage to come and save all of us and how he suffered to do this shows it all. I hope we never forget and each day grow in faith.
I was glad to read this again as I remember 1968 Mom taking care of my Brother and myself while my father serving in The Air Force was in Thailand at the time on a remote during the Vietnam era. Mom is close to being with God she is at the Bee Hive Senior Center in Mesquite Nevada. She really took care of both of us with friends being there and we also had some fun times and she always has strong faith and taught us about God and and his Son Jesus and later making that commitment. Thanks again for mentioning some great songs from a turbulent time. Mom always tried to make sure all was well no matter what. You all take care, God Bless, and have a great day.