Scripture Verse

Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22

Introduction

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Daniel Whittle (1840–1901)

Words: Da­ni­el W. Whit­tle, 1880. Ap­peared in Gos­pel Hymns No. 4‎, by Ira D. San­key et al. (New York: John Church and Big­low & Main, 1881). Some hym­nals give the au­thor as El Na­than, one of Whit­tle’s pseu­do­nyms.

Music: St. Kjeld James Mc­Gra­na­han (🔊 pdf nwc).

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James McGranahan
(1840–1907)
Wikipedia

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Lyrics

Once more we come, God’s word to hear,
The word so pure and ho­ly;
Now grant us, Lord, a list­en­ing ear,
A spir­it meek and low­ly;
For if we hear, and heed it not,

Refrain

We hear for con­dem­na­tion;
For do­ers of the word, we’re taught,
Are heirs of Christ’s sal­va­tion.

The life of God is in the word;
And who­so­e’er be­liev­eth
The re­cord there of Christ the Lord
Eternal life re­ceiv­eth;
But if we hear, be­liev­ing not,

Refrain

The word of God, by faith re­ceived,
Imparts re­ge­ne­ra­tion;
And he who hath in Christ be­lieved,
Lives out a new cre­ation;
But if we hear, and do it not,

Refrain

So when the word of God we hear,
Let us be hum­bly plead­ing
The Ho­ly Ghost to give us light,
As we the word are heed­ing;
But if we hear, and feel it not,

Refrain