Scripture Verse

If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. Luke 9:23

Introduction

portrait
Anne Brontë
(1820–1849)

Words: Anne Bron­të, 1848.

Music: Fes­tal Song Will­iam H. Wal­ter, in the Epis­co­pal Hym­nal with Tunes Old and New, by John I. Tuck­er, 1872 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Wal­ter (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Believe not those who say
The up­ward path is smooth,
Lest thou should stum­ble in the way,
And faint be­fore the truth.

It is the on­ly road
Unto the realms of joy;
But he who seeks that blest abode
Must all his po­wers em­ploy.

To la­bor and to love,
To par­don and en­dure,
To lift thy heart to God above,
And keep thy con­sci­ence pure.

Be this thy con­stant aim,
Thy hope, thy chief de­light,
That mat­ter who should whis­per blame
Or how should scorn or slight.

What mat­ters—if God ap­prove,
And if with­in thy breast,
Thou feel the com­fort of His love,
The earn­est of His rest?