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Only Once You Pass This Way
Author: Rev. Johnson Oatman, Jr. Appears in 4 hymnals First Line: Do your best while life's pilgrim way you tread Used With Tune: [Do your best while life's pilgrim way you tread]
Only Once You Pass This Way
[Do your best while life's pilgrim way you tread]
Appears in 4 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: Jno. R. Sweney Incipit: 32116 65345 51177 Used With Text: Only Once You Pass This Way
[Do your best while life's pilgrim way you tread]
Only Once You Pass This Way
Author: Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1856-1922 Hymnal: The Cyber Hymnal #5239 First Line: Do your best while life's pilgrim way you tread Lyrics: 1. Do your best while life’s pilgrim way you tread,
Scatt’ring sunshine while you may;
Bear in mind, while the precious seed you spread,
Only once you pass this way.
Refrain
Only once you pass this way,
Only once you pass this way;
Be a blessing while you may,
Only once you pass this way.
2. Ev’ry day poor and needy you will find,
Filled with sorrow and dismay;
Do your best some poor, broken hearts to bind,
Only once you pass this way. [Refrain]
3. Tell the world that the Savior died for all,
Bid them ever watch and pray;
Lift your voice, shout aloud the Gospel call,
Only once you pass this way. [Refrain]
4. Be a brave, earnest soldier in the strife,
Then when comes the close of day,
May the world be the better for your life,
Only once you pass this way. [Refrain] Languages: English Tune Title: [Do your best while life's pilgrim way you tread]
Only Once You Pass This Way
Only Once You Pass This Way
Author: Rev. Johnson Oatman, Jr. Hymnal: Songs of Love and Praise No. 5 #12 (1898) First Line: Do your best while Life's pilgrim way you tread Languages: English Tune Title: [Do your best while Life's pilgrim way you tread]
Only Once You Pass This Way
Only Once You Pass This Way
Author: Rev. Johnson Oatman, Jr. Hymnal: Songs of the Century #39 (1900) First Line: Do your best while life's pilgrim way you tread Languages: English Tune Title: [Do your best while life's pilgrim way you tread]
Only Once You Pass This Way
Johnson Oatman, Jr.
1856 - 1922 Person Name: Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1856-1922 Author of "Only Once You Pass This Way" in The Cyber Hymnal 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, N. J., under the firm name of Johnson Oatman & Son. Since the death of his father, he has for the past fifteen years been in the life insurance business, having charge of the business of one of the great companies in Mt. Holly, N. J., where he resides.
He has written over three thousand hymns, and no gospel song book is considered as being complete unless it contains some of his hymns.
In 1878 he married Wilhelmina Reid, of Lumberton, N.J. and had three children, Rachel, Miriam, and Percy.
Excerpted from Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers by Jacob Henry Hall; Fleming H. Revell, Co. 1914
Johnson Oatman, Jr.
John R. Sweney
1837 - 1899 Person Name: John Robson Sweney, 1837-1899 Composer of "[Do your best while life's pilgrim way you tread]" in The Cyber Hymnal John R. Sweney (1837-1899) was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and exhibited musical abilities at an early age. At nineteen he was studying with a German music teacher, leading a choir and glee club, and performing at children’s entertainments. By twenty-two he was teaching at a school in Dover, Delaware. Soon thereafter, he was put in charge of the band of the Third Delaware Regiment of the Union Army for the duration of the Civil War. After the war, he became Professor of Music at the Pennsylvania Military Academy, and director of Sweney’s Cornet Band. He eventually earned Bachelor and Doctor of Music degrees at the Academy.
Sweney began composing church music in 1871 and became well-known as a leader of large congregations. His appreciators stated “Sweney knows how to make a congregation sing” and “He had great power in arousing multitudes.” He also became director of music for a large Sunday school at the Bethany Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia of which John Wanamaker was superintendent (Wanamaker was the founder of the first major department store in Philadelphia). In addition to his prolific output of hymn melodies and other compositions, Sweney edited or co-edited about sixty song collections, many in collaboration with William J. Kirkpatrick. Sweney died on April 10, 1899, and his memorial was widely attended and included a eulogy by Wanamaker.
Joe Hickerson from "Joe's Jottings #9" used by permission
John R. Sweney
