Scripture Verse

Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations. Luke 24:47

Introduction

portrait
Oskar Ahnfelt
1813–1882

Words: Sa­la­thi­el C. Kirk, Mus­ings Along the Way (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: A. H. Sick­ler, 1900), pag­es 71–72.

Music: Ahn­felt Os­kar Ahn­felt, 1872 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Salathiel C. Kirk
1845–1913

Lyrics

The long roll-call is sounding,
Let Israel awake!
And every heart responding,
New zeal and courage take.
With all upon the altar
And spirit all aglow,
We cannot stay nor falter
When duty bids us go.

We’ll find the way retarded
By lions in the path,
And every stronghold guarded
By mighty men of Gath.
But if these things affright us,
When shall the way be free?
When Satan shall invite us—
And that will never be.

If Christians did not weaken
When nearing Satan’s grounds,
His kingdom would be shaken
From center to its bounds.
Our weakness shall not matter,
Unless it comes of doubt;
One shall a thousand scatter
And two ten thousand rout.

The hour is here for moving,
Wait not the morrow’s sun;
The Church our faith is proving,
The victory must be won.
Then gird the armor, brother,
To loiter would be shame;
Press close to one another,
And forward in His name.