Blog Template Theology of the Body: One of my favorite hymns ever

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

One of my favorite hymns ever



... in honor of Fr. WB's excellent post on the thriving chapter of young American Benedictines whom we love in Norcia. They are so clearly the Lord's army. Read about them here.

Go forward, Christian soldier,
Beneath His banner true:
The Lord Himself, thy Leader,
Shall all thy foes subdue.
His love foretells thy trials;
He knows thine hourly need;
He can with bread of Heaven
Thy fainting spirit feed.

Go forward, Christian soldier,
Fear not the secret foe;
Far more o’er thee are watching
Than human eyes can know:
Trust only Christ, thy Captain;
Cease not to watch and pray;
Heed not the treacherous voices
That lure thy soul astray.

Go forward, Christian soldier,
Nor dream of peaceful rest,
Till Satan’s host is vanquished
And Heav’n is all possessed;
Till Christ Himself shall call thee
To lay thine armor by,
And wear in endless glory
The crown of victory.

Go forward, Christian soldier,
Fear not the gath’ring night:
The Lord has been thy Shelter;
The Lord will be thy Light.
When morn His face revealeth,
Thy dangers are all past:
O pray that faith and virtue
May keep thee to the last!

Lawrence Tuttiett, 1861.