<P> "Shall We Gather at the River?" or simply "At the River" are the popular names for the traditional Christian hymn titled "Hanson Place," written by American poet and gospel music composer Robert Lowry (1826--1899). It was written in 1864 and is now in the public domain . The title "Hanson Place" is a reference to the original Hanson Place Baptist Church in Brooklyn, where Lowry, as a Baptist minister, sometimes served . The original building now houses a different denomination . </P> <P> The music is in the key of D and uses an 8.7. 8.7 R meter . An arrangement was also composed by Charles Ives, and a later arrangement is included in Aaron Copland's Old American Songs (1952) in addition to being used by American wind band composer David Maslanka in his Symphony No. 9 (2011). The song was sung live at the 1980 funeral of American Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas . </P> <P> The song's lyrics refer to the Christian concept of the anticipation of restoration and reward, and reference the motifs found at Revelation 22: 1 - 2 - a crystal clear river with water of life, issuing from the throne of heaven, all presented by an angel of God . </P> <Dl> <Dd> Yes, we'll gather at the river, </Dd> <Dd> The beautiful, the beautiful river; </Dd> <Dd> Gather with the saints at the river </Dd> <Dd> That flows by the throne of God . </Dd> </Dl>

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