Switchboards

I've blogged about this memory before, but it's been awhile; Janie in Kansas recently put the lyrics of an old Gospel song, "Life's Railway To Heaven", in her blog. I left her a comment saying that I remember my parents singing that song in the car as we traveled to Church or to visit relatives, and that I also recalled them singing "The Royal Telephone". Janie says she's never heard that one.

I still hear "Life's Railway to Heaven" once in awhile, done by some folk singer or other; Johnny Cash sang it in recent years.

You won't hear "Royal Telephone" these days because, for one reason, it wouldn't make sense to most folks. "Central", "crossed wires", and "grounded" (terms used in the lyrics) mean nothing nowadays.

For the first twelve years of my life, in the corner of the living room of various houses we lived in, stood a switchboard like the one you see above. In the Iowa towns of Villisca and Guss and Nodaway, and finally in Eagleville, Missouri, my parents were "central". If you made a telephone call to anyone other than the two or three parties on your line, you had to go through "central", so the operator (my mom or dad) could connect you.

Sometimes after a storm, some telephone wires might be crossed. When this happened, people would hear jumbled conversations being held by folks who weren't even on their line. Daddy had a special pole with which he reached up and uncrossed the wires, and then things were back to normal. I believe the lines were "grounded" when they actually blew down and were touching the ground or a fencepost or tree; at least, that's how it works with our electric fence. If your line was grounded, you couldn't make any phone calls.

Let's not even talk about how much fun it used to be to quietly pick up the receiver and listen to people on your party line gossiping.

Now, Janie from Kansas, I give you the words to "Royal Telephone", written in 1919 by Frederick M. Lehman.

Central’s never “busy,” always on the line;
You may hear from Heaven almost any time;
’Tis a royal service, free for one and all;
When you get in trouble, give this royal line a call.

Refrain

Telephone to glory, O what joy divine!
I can feel the current moving on the line,
Built by God the Father for His loved and own,
We may talk to Jesus thru this royal telephone.

There will be no charges, telephone is free,
It was built for service, just for you and me;
There will be no waiting on this royal line,
Telephone to glory always answers just in time.

Refrain

Fail to get the answer, Satan’s crossed your wire,
By some strong delusion, or some base desire;
Take away obstructions, God is on the throne,
And you’ll get your answer thru this royal telephone.

Refrain

If your line is “grounded,” and connection true
Has been lost with Jesus, tell you what to do;
Prayer and faith and promise, mend the broken wire,
’Till your soul is burning with the Pentecostal fire.

Refrain

Carnal combinations cannot get control
Of this line to glory, anchored in the soul;
Storm and trial cannot disconnect the line,
Held in constant keeping by the Father’s hand divine.

Refrain

Janie, if you'd like to hear the tune to the song, go to Cyber Hymnal. It isn't working for me; my Firefox says I need to install a plugin, but it can't find the plugin (computers can be SO exasperating); However, it lets me download the midi to my computer!