Alfred H. Miles, ed. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century. 1907.
By Hymns. IV. “Forward! be our watchword”Henry Alford (1810–1871)
F
Steps and voices join’d;
Seek the things before us,
Not a look behind;
Burns the fiery pillar
At our army’s head;
Who shall dream of shrinking,
By Jehovah led?
Forward through the desert,
Through the toil and fight;
Jordan flows before us,
Zion beams with light!
Buds the infant mind;
All through youth and manhood,
Not a thought behind;
Speed through realms of nature,
Climb the steps of grace;
Faint not, till around us
Gleams the Father’s face.
Forward, all the life-time,
Climb from height to height,
Till the head be hoary,
Till the eve be light.
Salt of all the earth,
Till each yearning purpose
Spring to glorious birth;
Sick, they ask for healing,
Blind, they grope for day;
Pour upon the nations
Wisdom’s loving ray,
Forward, out of error,
Leave behind the night:
Forward through the darkness,
Forward into light.
Hath our God prepared,
By the souls that love Him
One day to be shared;
Eye hath not beheld them,
Ear hath never heard;
Nor of these hath utter’d
Thought or speech a word.
Forward, marching eastward,
Where the heaven is bright,
Till the veil be lifted,
Till our faith be sight!
Rise the city towers,
Where our God abideth,
That fair home is ours;
Flash the streets with jasper,
Shine the gates with gold;
Flows the gladdening river,
Shedding joys untold.
Thither, onward thither,
In Jehovah’s might;
Pilgrims to your country,
Forward into Light!
Onward as we press,
Beauty spreads around us,
Born of holiness
Arch, and vault, and carving,
Lights of varied tone;
Soften’d words and holy,
Prayer and praise alone:
Every thought upraising
To our City bright,
Where the tribes assemble
Round the throne of Light.
Of these aisles of stone:
Where the Godhead dwelleth,
Temple there is none:
All the saints that ever
In these courts have stood,
Are but babes, and feeding
On the children’s food.
On through sign and token,
Stars amidst the night;
Forward through the darkness,
Forward into light!
Loudest anthems raise;
To the Son and Spirit
Echo songs of praise:
To the Lord Jehovah,
Blessèd Three in One,
Be by men and angels
Endless honour done.
Weak are earthly praises,
Dull the songs of night,
Forward into triumph,
Forward into light!