# "In the Garden": well-known by non-Baptists?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 13, 2008, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902 "2008-08-13T22:13:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/1 "2008-08-13T22:13:33Z")

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This is the old Baptist hymn by C. Austin Miles with the lines in the refrain:  
_And he walks with me and he talks with me  
And he tells me that I am his own…_  
My Dad (born in Arkansas) knew it, and sang it, accompanying himself on the guitar. A Jewish girl I used to date knew it; I think she had attended Hope Chapel or something similar. Another woman–of unknown church affiliation but Scandinavian ancestry–knew it; and a musician, who played the organ in her local Episcopalian church, not only knew it but gave me the title, which I had not known before.  
So what I’d like to know is, Is this hymn well known outside the Baptist chuch?

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**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/2 "2008-08-13T22:19:44Z")

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It’s played often in the LDS church. I think I’ve heard it at every single LDS funeral I ever attended (here in Utah).

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**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/3 "2008-08-13T23:22:57Z")

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That’s one of my mom’s favorites. Their church is non-denom, but sort of baptist-ish in philosophy. It’s rather a fun song to play on the piano, the slow pace allows for some interesting embellishments.

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**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/4 "2008-08-13T23:27:26Z")

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I played at a Methodist church service a couple months ago where they did it. I’m a Baptist, and I’m sure it’s been sung at my church more than once.

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**Author:** ![carlb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carlb/32/5930_2.png) [@carlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlb)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/5 "2008-08-13T23:31:44Z")

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We sang it occasionally in the Presbyterian Church I grew up in (in New Jersey), but it wasn’t a “staple.” We sang it often enough, though, that I’m familiar with it.

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**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/6 "2008-08-14T00:00:59Z")

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I’m Jewish, which means I’m less familiar with Christian hymns than most Americans (although I know a few Christmas carols), so the fact that I’ve never heard of it doesn’t surprise me.

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**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/7 "2008-08-14T00:03:42Z")

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[QUOTE=pepperlandgirl]  
It’s played often in the LDS church. I think I’ve heard it at every single LDS funeral I ever attended (here in Utah).  
[/QUOTE]

It IS??? I’ve never heard of it. I know a lot of hymns from the LDS hymnal. I guess I’d better go look it up.

I don’t know _The old rugged cross_ though. I think that’s a Baptist one.

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**Author:** ![LadyMack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@LadyMack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LadyMack)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/8 "2008-08-14T00:04:18Z")

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I grew up in the Presbyterian church, and know it from there, but have also heard it in other churches.  
Especially at funerals for country folk, or people who loved working out in Their gardens.

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**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/9 "2008-08-14T00:07:16Z")

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[Is this it?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f2z8NiI5u8) (Music only, no words)

I’m not familiar with this one at all. If it’s popular at LDS funerals in Utah, in California it ain’t.

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**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/10 "2008-08-14T00:11:27Z")

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Yes, that’s it.

I grew up United Methodist, and we used to sing it once in a while.

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**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/11 "2008-08-14T00:19:09Z")

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I never heard it in church (Catholic). A local shock jock called the Greaseman used to include it in some of his comedy bits, that’s about the only place I’ve ever heard it.

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**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/12 "2008-08-14T00:25:33Z")

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Pretty common in the Methodist church around here.

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**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/13 "2008-08-14T00:28:47Z")

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It’s a favorite of this Methodist and it’s on one of Brad Paisley’s CDs.

My daughter tells me it’s _Who Needs Pictures_.

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**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/14 "2008-08-14T00:39:24Z")

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[QUOTE=dangermom]  
[Is this it?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f2z8NiI5u8) (Music only, no words)

I’m not familiar with this one at all. If it’s popular at LDS funerals in Utah, in California it ain’t.  
[/QUOTE]

Yep, I heard it a lot growing up. Googling brought up [the Mormon Hymn Classics 6 Volume Set. It’s on disc 3.](http://deseretbook.com/store/product?sku=3582125)

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**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/15 "2008-08-14T00:48:37Z")

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I’m an atheist of indifferently Catholic upbringing. I’ve never heard of this song before.

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**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/16 "2008-08-14T00:59:16Z")

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Never mind. Double post.

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**Author:** ![MadPansy64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@MadPansy64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPansy64)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/17 "2008-08-14T01:08:54Z")

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Atheist of Irish farmer extraction with Baptist, Catholic and Mormon relatives here. I had no idea it was a Baptist song until reading the OP.

I know it, because it usually sung at family wakes (started by one of the Mormon contingent. Usually.) before anyone is drunk enough to remember the words to that gawd-awful Paddy Murphy song.

(Yes, I know. No sane person has ever claimed we’re _good_ Baptists, Mormons, or Catholics.)

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**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/18 "2008-08-14T01:20:01Z")

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[QUOTE=dougie\_monty]  
This is the old Baptist hymn by C. Austin Miles with the lines in the refrain:  
_And he walks with me and he talks with me  
And he tells me that I am his own…_  
My Dad (born in Arkansas) knew it, and sang it, accompanying himself on the guitar. A Jewish girl I used to date knew it; I think she had attended Hope Chapel or something similar. Another woman–of unknown church affiliation but Scandinavian ancestry–knew it; and a musician, who played the organ in her local Episcopalian church, not only knew it but gave me the title, which I had not known before.  
So what I’d like to know is, Is this hymn well known outside the Baptist chuch?  
[/QUOTE]

We sang it all the time in the Church of Christ I went to as a kid. We used the same hymnal used in all the other CoC’s I ever visited, so the song may well have been widespread in my denomination.

-FrL-

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**Author:** ![Helena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c68b51/32.png) [@Helena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/19 "2008-08-14T01:20:29Z")

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I’ve heard it (LDS here) but I’m not sure where. It might have been on TV. Or I might possibly have heard someone sing it at a church event once. Maybe.

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**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-garden-well-known-by-non-baptists/459902/20 "2008-08-14T02:39:39Z")

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That was my great grandmother’s favorite (I think she was a Baptist, but not a Southern Baptist) and is my dad’s favorite (non-denominational but raised Mennonite) and my favorite (Lutheran).

I know that it was in our Lutheran hymnal, the Lutheran Book of Worship.

Elvis did a version on one of his gospel albums, too.

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