Keep on the Firing Line

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If you're in the battle for the Lord and right

Author: Bessie F. Hatcher
Tune: [If you're in the battle for the Lord and right] (LeFevre)
Published in 18 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, Noteworthy Composer
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1. If you’re in the battle for the Lord and right,
Keep on the firing line;
If you win, my brother, surely you must fight,
Keep on the firing line.
There are many dangers that we all must face,
If we die still fighting it is no disgrace;
Cowards in the service will not find a place,
So keep on the firing line.

Refrain:
Oh, you must fight, be brave against all evil,
Never run, nor even lag behind;
If you would win for God and the right,
Just keep on the firing line.

2. God will only use the soldier He can trust,
Keep on the firing line;
If you’ll wear a crown then bear the cross you must,
Keep on the firing line.
Life is but to labor for the Master dear,
Help to banish evil and to spread good cheer;
Great you’ll be rewarded for your service here,
So keep on the firing line.

3. When we get to heaven, brother, we’ll be glad,
Keep on the firing line;
How we’ll praise the Savior for the call we had,
Keep on the firing line.
When we see the souls that we have helped to win,
Leading them to Jesus, from the paths of sin,
With a shout of welcome, we will all march in,
So keep on the firing line.

Source: 50 Favorites #26

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Author: Bessie F. Hatcher

Bessie Frances Simmons Hatcher was apparently an actress who got converted and called to preach. She was a minister in the Pilgrim Holiness Church in the Pennsylvania/New Jersey district, although she did pastor Free Methodist and Wesleyan Methodist congregations at some point. Her most famous songs were "Keep on the Firing Line", "I Would Not Want to Miss It", and "Let Me Burn Out for Thee", in addition to "He Will Not Fail Me Now". She married William Hatcher. She was born March 29 1880 and passed in June 1960 in Ocean County New Jersey. Old newspaper accounts allude to her conversion story, but so far have found no accounts of it. The district journal of 1961 called her "an old warrior of the Cross". James Keeton Go to person page >

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First Line:	If you're in the battle for the Lord and right
Title:	Keep on the Firing Line
Author:	Bessie F. Hatcher
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	Then fight brave against all evil
Copyright:	Public Domain