Scripture Verse

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth. Ephesians 6:14

Introduction

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Basil Manly, Jr. (1825–1892)

Words: Ba­sil Man­ly, Jr., 1860. This hymn was writ­ten for the first gra­du­ation ce­re­mo­ny of the South­ern Bap­tist Theo­lo­gic­al Se­mi­na­ry, Green­ville, South Ca­ro­li­na.

Music: Men­don, Ger­man tune. Ar­ranged by Sam­uel Dy­er, Sup­ple­ment of Sam­uel Dy­er’s Third Edi­tion of Sac­red Mu­sic 1828 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

Soldiers of Christ, in truth arrayed,
A world in ruins needs your aid:
A world by sin destroyed and dead;
A world for which the Sav­ior bled.

His Gos­pel to the lost pro­claim,
Good news for all in Je­sus’ name;
Let light upon the darkness break
That sinners from their death may wake.

Morning and evening sow the seed,
God’s grace the effort shall succeed.
Seedtimes of tears have oft been found
With sheaves of joy and plenty crowned.

We meet to part, but part to meet,
When earthly labors are complete,
To join in yet more blest employ,
In an eter­nal world of joy.