Problems form an important part of our lives. They are placed in our path for us to overcome them, not to be overcome by them. We must master them, not let them master us. Every time we overcome a challenge, we grow in experience, in self-assuredness, and in faith.[1]
~Horacio A. Tenorio
Note: This is a part of an ongoing series, the Mexico Mission Hymns Project.
Hymn Text:
“Hermanos, Venid” by José V. Estrada G. was initially published in 1912 and continued to be published up through the 1942 hymnbook. It was intended to be sung to the tune of Latter-day Saint Psalmody, 254, which was OMEGA by John Tullidge (“We’ll Sing the Songs of Zion”). It was also published in the 1942 hymnal, though set to a tune by George Careless called SUPPLICATION (“O God, The Eternal Father”). In the Latter-day Saint Psalmody, SUPPLICATION is the next page over from OMEGA, so it is possible that either there was a typo in the older hymnals or that both tunes were used interchangeably for the hymn and the latter won out later on (both tunes work for the text).
Figure 1. “Hermanos, Venid” in the 1912 hymnal.
Table 1. Comparison of the text of “Hermanos, Venid” in various editions of the Spanish hymnal.
| 1912 | 1942 |
| Se oyen por doquiera
Anuncios y clamor, Que dicen á la tierra, Su pronta destrucción; Ya suena la trompeta, Con grande claridad, El Elder y Profeta, Os llevan la verdad. |
Se oyen por doquiera
Anuncios y clamor, Que dicen a la tierra, Su pronta destrucción. Ya suena la trompeta, Con grande claridad, El élder y profeta, Os llevan la verdad. |
| Venid, ya la aurora,
De la gran redención, Resurge precursora, Trayendo salvación; Ha vuelto Evangelio, A extender la luz, Glorioso de los cielos Vendrá el Rey Jesús. |
Venid, ya la aurora,
De la gran redención, Resurge precursora, Trayendo salvación. El evangelio vuelve, A extender la luz, Glorioso de los cielos, Vendrá el Rey Jesús. |
| Venid hermanos fieles
Con fe, con humildad, A conquistar laurels De dicha celestial; Venid, que Jesucristo Os vuelve á llamar A daros el clemente, Eterno bienestar. |
Venid, hermanos fieles
Con fe, con humildad, A conquistar laurels De dicha celestial. Venid, que Jesucristo Os vuelve a llamar, A daros el clemente, Eterno bienestar. |
Table 2. Translation of “Hermanos, Venid”
| 1912 Spanish | Prose English | Poetic English |
| Se oyen por doquiera
Anuncios y clamor, Que dicen á la tierra, Su pronta destrucción; Ya suena la trompeta, Con grande claridad, El Elder y Profeta, Os llevan la verdad. |
They can be heard everywhere
Announcements and clamor, What do they say to the earth, Its early destruction; The trumpet sounds, With great clarity, The Elder and Prophet, They bring you the truth. |
Announcements and much clamor
Are heard now everywhere, And what do they say to earth? Destruction they declare; The trumpet is now sounding With clarity to all As elders and the Prophet Are bringing truth, withal. |
| Venid, ya la aurora,
De la gran redención, Resurge precursora, Trayendo salvación; Ha vuelto Evangelio, A extender la luz, Glorioso de los cielos Vendrá el Rey Jesús. |
Come, now the dawn,
Of the great redemption, Precursor returns, Bringing salvation; Gospel has returned, To extend the light, Glorious of the heavens King Jesus will come. |
O come, now is the dawn of
The Restoration, grand: The forerunner arises, And brings the saving plan. The Gospel has returned, Extending light abroad, The glorious message it sends: King Jesus comes, our God. |
| Venid hermanos fieles
Con fe, con humildad, A conquistar laurels De dicha celestial; Venid, que Jesucristo Os vuelve á llamar A daros el clemente, Eterno bienestar. |
Come faithful brothers
With faith, with humility, To conquer laurels Of celestial bliss; Come, Jesus Christ I call you again To give you the clement, Eternal welfare. |
O come, ye faithful siblings,
With faith, humility, To win and gain the laurels Of sweet tranquility; So, come, for Jesus Christ now Is calling you again, To give you mercy, also Eternal wellness then. |
Music:
Here is what it might have looked like if set with OMEGA:
And here is what it looked like when set with SUPPLICATION:
New Music:
For some reason, with the trumpets and announcements of the King coming, the text linked to martial imagery in my mind, which in turn connected to military marches from eastern Europe. The music I wrote seems to draw on that background in what came to mind while writing for this hymn.
Footnotes:
[1] Horacio A. Tenorio, “Teachings of a Loving Father,” CR April 1990, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1990/04/teachings-of-a-loving-father.p8?lang=eng
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