The Last Mile of the Way

If I walk in the pathway of duty

Author: Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1908)
Tune: [If I walk in the pathway of duty]
Published in 76 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 If I walk in the pathway of duty,
If I work till the close of the day,
I shall see the great King in His beauty
When I've gone the last mile of the way.

Refrain:
When I've gone the last mile of the way,
I will rest at the close of the day,
And I know there are joys that await me
When I've gone the last mile of the way.

2 If for Christ I proclaim the glad story,
If I seek for His sheep gone astray,
I am sure He will show me His glory
When I've gone the last mile of the way. [Refrain]

3 Here the dearest of ties we must sever,
Tears of sorrow are seen ev'ry day,
But no sickness, no sighing forever
When I've gone the last mile of the way. [Refrain]

4 And if here I have earnestly striven,
And have tried all His will to obey,
'Twill enhance all the rapture of heaven
When I've gone the last mile of the way. [Refrain]

Source: One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism: an African American ecumenical hymnal #629

Author: Johnson Oatman, Jr.

Johnson Oatman, Jr., son of Johnson and Rachel Ann Oatman, was born near Medford, N. J., April 21, 1856. His father was an excellent singer, and it always delighted the son to sit by his side and hear him sing the songs of the church. Outside of the usual time spent in the public schools, Mr. Oatman received his education at Herbert's Academy, Princetown, N. J., and the New Jersey Collegiate Institute, Bordentown, N. J. At the age of nineteen he joined the M.E. Church, and a few years later he was granted a license to preach the Gospel, and still later he was regularly ordained by Bishop Merrill. However, Mr. Oatman only serves as a local preacher. For many years he was engaged with his father in the mercantile business at Lumberton… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: If I walk in the pathway of duty
Title: The Last Mile of the Way
Author: Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1908)
Meter: 10.9.10.9. with Rrefrain
Language: English
Refrain First Line: When I've gone the last mile of the way
Copyright: Public Domain

Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #3573
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)
Timeless Truths #1088
  • The_Last_Mile_of_the_Way.pdf (PDF)

Instances

Instances (1 - 11 of 11)

Church Gospel Songs and Hymns #222

Praise for the Lord (Expanded Edition) #637

Sacred Selections for the Church #95

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #3573

Text

The New National Baptist Hymnal (21st Century Edition) #406

TextAudio

Timeless Truths #1088

Text

Yes, Lord! #357

TextPage Scan

One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism #629

TextPage Scan

The A.M.E. Zion Hymnal #553

TextPage Scan

African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #488

New Songs of Inspiration (vol. one) #26

Include 65 pre-1979 instances
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us