Scripture Verse

…as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 2:3

Introduction

portrait
Robert Lowry (1826–1899)

Words: Ro­bert Low­ry, in the Am­eri­can Sun­day School Hymn Book, new edi­tion (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Am­eri­can Sun­day School Un­ion, 1860). Note: With the mu­sic be­low, each verse re­peats af­ter the re­frain.

Music: Will­iam B. Brad­bu­ry, Gold­en Cen­ser (New York: Will­iam B. Brad­bu­ry, 1864), pag­es 96–97 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
William Bradbury
(1816–1868)

Lyrics

Marching on! march­ing on!
Glad as birds on the wing,
Come the bright ranks of sol­diers
From near and from far;
Happy hearts, full of song, ’neath
Our ban­ners we bring;
We are sol­diers of Zi­on
Prepared for the war.

Refrain

Marching on! march­ing on!
Sound the bat­tle cry!
Sound the bat­tle cry!
Marching on! march­ing on!
Shout the vic­to­ry,
The vic­to­ry, the vic­to­ry!

Pressing on! press­ing on!
To the din of the fray,
With the firm tread of faith to
The bat­tle we go;
’Mid the cheer­ing of an­gels,
Our ranks march away,
With our flags point­ing ev­er
Right on tow’rds the foe.

Refrain

Fighting on! fight­ing on!
In the midst of the strife,
At the call of our cap­tain,
We draw ev­ery sword;
We are bat­tling for God,
We are strug­gling for life,
Let us strike ev­ery re­bel
That fights ’gainst the Lord.

Refrain

Singing on! sing­ing on!
From the bat­tle we come,
Every flag bears a wreath,
Every sol­dier re­nown;
Heav’nly an­gels are wait­ing
To wel­come us home,
And the Sav­ior will give us
A robe and a crown.

Refrain