Ronald G. Calhoun, music educator, composer and musician, wrote the music to this hymn in 1969. It then was used in 1975 in the State of Washington during a church worship service as a chorus. In 1983 it was stolen by music publishers and is the music to the song "Emmanuel." Since then it has appeared in every major Christian denomination hymnal reflecting at least two different people at different times claiming to be the composer. This was not discovered until 1997. After finding that a law firm in Atlanta, Georgia wanted $100,000.00 as their part of the case, Ronald G. Calhoun then filed suit in the United States Federal Court on July 19, 1999 and represents his own case against the religious music publishers.

Ronald G. Calhoun
v.
Nazarene Publishing House, The Southern Baptist Convention Lifeway Christian Resources, The Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Convention Press, Broadman & Holman, Baptist Book Stores, The United Methodist Publishing House, Cokesbury Publishing, Abingdon Press, Cokesbury Stores, Word Music, and C.A. Music

• IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES" (12/04/02)
  
• LOSING FAITH IN INDUSTRIES OF THE CHURCH" - The Incredible Journey." (08/16/02)
  
• CALHOUN "FIRST IN TIME" - The Calhoun work was "first in time" and is "first in line." (08/01/02)
  
• NEWSRELEASE - Ronald G. Calhoun wins second round in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. They are "identical songs." (02/12/02)
  
• UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS ELEVENTH CIRCUIT (04/30/01)
  
• History of Church Music From The Colonial Period to The 21st Century -- "AN INDUSTRY IS BORN" - Analysis and Observation by Ronald G. Calhoun of bonding a commercial view concept in merging "ministry" with "sales" and much more. (01/18/01)
  
• Brief of Plaintiff in Response to Renewed Motion to Dismiss and for Summary Judgment (10/19/00)
  
• Complaint - Case CV400-086 ("Calhoun II") (03/30/00)

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  "The melody shape is nearly identical if illustrated. I must deduce that "Emmanuel" was created using the melody of "Before His Eyes"....even leaving intact....your melodic structure..." "My study found that all three of the "Emmanuel" arrangements were nearly identical in Chordal Structure as "Before His Eyes."
  Ms. Beth A. Toliver, Georgia Music Educator--Choral Teacher. Read Ms. Toliver's paper in full.

  "Slight differences in melodic materials in bar seven....are inconsequential and do not negate the pervasive sameness....thus retaining consonant intervallic relationships which fail to alter the basic compositional structure or contour. These two melodies are unquestionably the same."
  Mr. John H. McKay, Director of Music in the United Methodist Church. Read Mr. McKay's paper in full.

  "Upon hearing this composition it was clearly evident that the chorus to "Before His Eyes" was essentially the same as the song "Emmanuel" and obviously of the very same origin."
  Ms. Erica Blood-Dickman, Music Director in the Presbyterian Church

  "....it was clearly evident to me of the closeness and the sameness of the two pieces."
  Ms. Lynda Phillips, Church Musician in the State of Kansas. Read Ms. Phillips affidavit in full.

  It was clearly evident, upon my first hearing the composition "Before His Eyes" that the chorus was of the same chordal relation as the song "Emmanuel."
  Mr. Donald Alan Bates, Minister of Music in the Baptist Church. Read Mr. Bates' affidavit in full.

  "I laughed with glee to hear the original to a song that I have sung so many times and heard congregation's alter and simplify due to the soloistic vocal range of your original....It is quite evident to me upon first hearing your Chorus "Before His Eyes" that the well-known song "Emmanuel" came directly from your original melody and that "Emmanuel" is merely a ranged-down version of your melody....As I analyze the two melodies, I find no other significant differences between them--they are substantially the same melody....And like the melody and the syncopated rhythms within "My Country 'tis of Thee," having been lifted right from the original song "God Save The King," I believe that same thing has occurred between "Emmanuel" and the original song "Before His Eyes." The text syncopations within the original "Before His Eyes" being lifted directly into "Emmanuel" but for no reason inherent in the text rhythms found within the Chorus "Emmanuel."
  Mr. Mark K. Williams, Organist-Choir Master at Christ Church in Savannah - the Mother Church of Georgia. Read Mr. Williams' paper in full.