| Alfred H. Miles, ed. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century. 1907. | | | Hymns.
IV. “Forward! be our watchword” | | By Henry Alford (1810–1871) |
| | (Processional)
FORWARD! be our watchword, | |
| Steps and voices join’d; | |
| Seek the things before us, | |
| Not a look behind; | |
| Burns the fiery pillar | 5 |
| At our army’s head; | |
| Who shall dream of shrinking, | |
| By Jehovah led? | |
| Forward through the desert, | |
| Through the toil and fight; | 10 |
| Jordan flows before us, | |
| Zion beams with light! | |
| |
| Forward, when in childhood | |
| Buds the infant mind; | |
| All through youth and manhood, | 15 |
| Not a thought behind; | |
| Speed through realms of nature, | |
| Climb the steps of grace; | |
| Faint not, till around us | |
| Gleams the Father’s face. | 20 |
| Forward, all the life-time, | |
| Climb from height to height, | |
| Till the head be hoary, | |
| Till the eve be light. | |
| |
| Forward, flock of Jesus, | 25 |
| Salt of all the earth, | |
| Till each yearning purpose | |
| Spring to glorious birth; | |
| Sick, they ask for healing, | |
| Blind, they grope for day; | 30 |
| Pour upon the nations | |
| Wisdom’s loving ray, | |
| Forward, out of error, | |
| Leave behind the night: | |
| Forward through the darkness, | 35 |
| Forward into light. | |
| |
| Glories upon glories | |
| Hath our God prepared, | |
| By the souls that love Him | |
| One day to be shared; | 40 |
| Eye hath not beheld them, | |
| Ear hath never heard; | |
| Nor of these hath utter’d | |
| Thought or speech a word. | |
| Forward, marching eastward, | 45 |
| Where the heaven is bright, | |
| Till the veil be lifted, | |
| Till our faith be sight! | |
| |
| Far o’er yon horizon | |
| Rise the city towers, | 50 |
| Where our God abideth, | |
| That fair home is ours; | |
| Flash the streets with jasper, | |
| Shine the gates with gold; | |
| Flows the gladdening river, | 55 |
| Shedding joys untold. | |
| Thither, onward thither, | |
| In Jehovah’s might; | |
| Pilgrims to your country, | |
| Forward into Light! | 60 |
| |
| Into God’s high Temple | |
| Onward as we press, | |
| Beauty spreads around us, | |
| Born of holiness | |
| Arch, and vault, and carving, | 65 |
| Lights of varied tone; | |
| Soften’d words and holy, | |
| Prayer and praise alone: | |
| Every thought upraising | |
| To our City bright, | 70 |
| Where the tribes assemble | |
| Round the throne of Light. | |
| |
| Nought that City needeth | |
| Of these aisles of stone: | |
| Where the Godhead dwelleth, | 75 |
| Temple there is none: | |
| All the saints that ever | |
| In these courts have stood, | |
| Are but babes, and feeding | |
| On the children’s food. | 80 |
| On through sign and token, | |
| Stars amidst the night; | |
| Forward through the darkness, | |
| Forward into light! | |
| |
| To the Father’s glory | 85 |
| Loudest anthems raise; | |
| To the Son and Spirit | |
| Echo songs of praise: | |
| To the Lord Jehovah, | |
| Blessèd Three in One, | 90 |
| Be by men and angels | |
| Endless honour done. | |
| Weak are earthly praises, | |
| Dull the songs of night, | |
| Forward into triumph, | 95 |
| Forward into light! | | | | |
|
|
