Scripture Verse

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:11–12

Introduction

Words: R. P. Clark, in the Am­eri­can Sun­day School Hymn Book, se­cond edi­tion (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Am­eri­can Sun­day School Un­ion, 1860), alt.

Music: Will­iam B. Brad­bu­ry (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know Clark’s full name, or where to get a good pic­ture of him (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
William Bradbury
(1816–1868)

Lyrics

The child­ren are ga­ther­ing from near and from far;
The trum­pet is sound­ing the call for the war;
The con­flict is rag­ing, ’twill be fear­ful and long;
We’ll gird on our ar­mor, and be march­ing along.

Refrain

Marching along, we are march­ing along,
Gird on the ar­mor, and be march­ing along,
The con­flict is rag­ing, ’twill be fear­ful and long,
Then gird on the ar­mor and be march­ing along.

The foe is before us in bat­tle ar­ray,
But let us not wa­ver nor turn from the way;
The Lord is our strength, be this ev­er our song;
With cour­age and faith we are march­ing along.

Refrain

Enlisted for life, we will camp on the field,
With Christ as our cap­tain, we ne­ver will yield;
The sword of the Spir­it, both trus­ty and strong,
We’ll hold in our hands as we’re march­ing along.

Refrain

Through con­flicts and tria­ls our crowns we must win,
For here we con­tend ’gainst temp­ta­tion and sin;
But one thing as­sures us, we can not go wrong,
If trust­ing our Sav­ior, while march­ing along.

Refrain