Introduction

Words: Theo­dore J. Price, in The Ri­ver of Life, ed­it­ed by Hen­ry S. Per­kins & War­ren Bent­ley (New York; Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts; and Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Ol­iv­er Dit­son, C. H. Dit­son and Ly­on & Hea­ly, 1873), page 136. For con­certs and an­ni­ver­sa­ries. A beau­ti­ful rep­re­sen­ta­tion of the Scrip­tures by ten lit­tle girls, with their names up­on cards in the shape of a shield.

Music: Fi­nis­tère W. War­ren Bent­ley, 1873 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

The orig­in­al song book had these per­form­ance in­struct­ions:

Enter Pa­tience, bear­ing a rough cross up­on should­er, and takes po­si­tion in centre of stage.

Enter Faith with wreath of flow­ers which she hangs on arm of cross, and takes po­sition by Patience at the right.

Enter Vir­tue with wreath, stands at the right of Faith.

Enter Know­ledge with bas­ket of fruit which she plac­es un­der the arm of the cross, takes po­si­tion at the right of Vir­tue.

Enter Tem­per­ance with li­lies, and winds around the cross, takes her place at the right of Know­ledge.

Enter Ex­pe­ri­ence, who steps to the side of Pa­tience and as­sists in hold­ing the cross, first stand­ing it up­on the floor.

Enter Hope, and, ad­vanc­ing in front of Pa­tience, points up­ward till sing­ing of Chor­us, then takes po­si­tion at the left of Ex­pe­ri­ence.

Enter God­li­ness and takes po­si­tion by the side of Hope.

Love en­ters, re­peat­ing soft­ly, Let us one an­oth­er love, and takes po­si­tion by the side of God­li­ness.

Enter Cha­ri­ty who kneels at the foot of the cross.

Experience lifts her up, when she takes her po­si­tion by the side of Love.

All grac­es now ad­vance and join hands, en­circ­ling Pa­ti­ence and Ex­per­ie­nce, till reach­ing the words, Now we part, when they re­tire to back of stage, leav­ing Faith and Hope on each side of the cross, and Cha­ri­ty in front.

Sing chor­us and re­tire.