A Few More Years Shall Roll

Representative Text

1 A few more years shall roll,
a few more seasons come,
and we shall be with those that rest
asleep within the tomb.

Refrain:
Then, O my Lord, prepare
my soul for that blest day;
O wash me in your precious blood,
and take my sins away.

2 A few more suns shall set
o'er these dark hills of time,
and we shall be where suns are not,
a far serener clime. [Refrain]

3 A few more storms shall beat
on this wild, rocky shore,
and we shall be where tempests cease,
and surges swell no more. [Refrain]

4 A few more struggles here,
a few more partings o'er,
a few more toils, a few more tears,
and we shall weep no more. [Refrain]

5 'Tis but a little while
and he shall come again,
who died that we might live with him,
who lives that we might reign. [Refrain]

Source: Christian Worship: Hymnal #492

Author: Horatius Bonar

Horatius Bonar was born at Edinburgh, in 1808. His education was obtained at the High School, and the University of his native city. He was ordained to the ministry, in 1837, and since then has been pastor at Kelso. In 1843, he joined the Free Church of Scotland. His reputation as a religious writer was first gained on the publication of the "Kelso Tracts," of which he was the author. He has also written many other prose works, some of which have had a very large circulation. Nor is he less favorably known as a religious poet and hymn-writer. The three series of "Hymns of Faith and Hope," have passed through several editions. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872… Go to person page >

Notes

A few more years shall roll. H. Bonar. [0ld and New Year.] Written about the year 1842, and first printed on a flyleaf for use by the members of his congregation on a New Year's Day. In 1844 it was published in No. 2 of his Songs for the Wilderness, again in the first series of Hymns of Faith and Hope 1857, p. 101; and later editions. It is in 6 stanzas of 8 lines, S.M., and entitled, "A Pilgrim's Song." Its use in all English-speaking countries, either in its full, or in an abbreviated form, is very extensive. In some cases its exquisite refrain, with its delicate changes:—

"Then, 0 my Lord, prepare
My soul for that great day;
0 wash me in Thy precious blood,
And take my sins away,"

is omitted, and it is thereby robbed of one of its most beautiful and striking features.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Tune

CHALVEY


LEOMINSTER (Martin)

George William Martin (b. London, England, 1825; d. London, 1881) composed LEOMINSTER, named for a town in the county of Hereford and Worcester (formerly Herefordshire), England. The tune was first published in The Journal of Part Music (vol. 2, 1862), in which it was titled THE PILGRIM'S SONG. Mart…

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Instances

Instances (1 - 100 of 379)
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A Church hymnal #251

A Church of England Hymn Book #224

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A Collection of Hymns and Sacred Songs #446

A Collection of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion #d3

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A Collection of Spiritual Hymns #484

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A Handy Book of Old and Familiar Hymns #177

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A Selection of Hymns #484

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A Selection of Spiritual Songs #948

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American Lutheran Hymnal #365

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An Evening Service Book #27

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Apostolic Hymns and Songs #34d

Asaph #d2

Association Songs No.1 #d2

Baptist Harmony #d3

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Bible School Echoes, and Sacred Hymns #69

Book of Common Praise #d2

Book of Hymns for the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Wisconsin and Other States #d1

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Book of Praise for the Sunday School #71[121]

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Book of Worship (Rev. ed.) #586

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Book of Worship with Hymns and Tunes #195

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Book of Worship #586

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Bright Gems #128

Calvary Selection of Spiritual Songs with Music for the Church and the Choir #d3

Carmina for Social Worship #d1

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Carmina for the Sunday School and Social Worship #270

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Carmina Sanctorum, a selection of hymns and songs of praise with tunes #678

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Carmina Sanctorum #678

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Children's Hymns with Tunes #131

Children's Praise #d1

Christ in Song #d2

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Christ in Song #906

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Christian Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #576

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Christian Praise #572

Text

Christian Worship #492

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Church and Sunday School Hymnal with Supplement #252

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Church Book #541

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Church Book #541

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Church Hymnal #34

Church Hymnal, Fourth Edition #72

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Church Hymnal, Mennonite #312

Church Hymnal, Mennonite #312

Church Hymnal, Mennonite #d2

Church Hymnal, Third Edition #92

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Church Hymns and Tunes #497a

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Church Hymns and Tunes #497b

Church Hymns with Tunes #328

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Church Hymns #353

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Church music #321

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Common Praise #524

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Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church #480

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Concordia #72

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Deutsches Lieder- und Melodienbuch #a380

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Evangelical Hymnal #570

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Evangelical Lutheran hymnal #514

Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal. 9th ed. #d1

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Fellowship Hymns #282

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Free Methodist Hymnal #569

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Funeral Hymns and Songs #49

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Gloria Deo #468

Gloria in Excelsis #d2

Gloria in Excelsis #d1

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Good as Gold #71

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Gospel Hymn and Tune Book #454

Gospel Hymns #d1

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Gospel Melodies and Evangelistic Hymns #208

Happy Voices #d2

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Harvest Bells Nos. 1, 2 and 3 #A12

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Hymn and Tune Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (Round Note Ed.) #603

Hymn Book of the Holiness Movement Church #d2

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Hymn Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South #603

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Hymn Book of the United Evangelical Church #570

Hymn Service No.3 #d1

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Hymn Tunes and Carols #10

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Hymn Tunes #8

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Hymn Tunes #26

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Hymn-Book of the Evangelical Association #796

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Hymnal and Canticles of the Protestant Episcopal Church with Music (Gilbert & Goodrich) #28a

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Hymnal and Canticles of the Protestant Episcopal Church with Music (Gilbert & Goodrich) #28b

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Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church #739

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Hymnal and Order of Service #318

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Hymnal Companion to the Prayer Book with Accompanying Tunes (Second Edition) #77

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Hymnal Companion to the Prayer Book #31a

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Hymnal Companion to the Prayer Book #31b

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Hymnal Companion to the Prayer Book #77

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Hymnal for Church and Home #61

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Hymnal for Church and Home (2nd ed.) #61

Hymnal of the Evangelical Church. Word ed. #d1

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Hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal Church #957

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Hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal Church #957

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Hymnal of the Presbyterian Church #308

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Hymnal of the Presbyterian Church in Canada #276

Hymnal of the Presbyterian Church in Canada with Accompanying Tunes #d1

Hymnal, Church of the Brethren #d2

Text

Hymnal #28

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Hymnal #28

Pages

Exclude 372 pre-1979 instances
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