Please give today to support Hymnary.org during one of only two fund drives we run each year. Each month, Hymnary serves more than 1 million users from around the globe, thanks to the generous support of people like you, and we are so grateful. 

Tax-deductible donations can be made securely online using this link.

Alternatively, you may write a check to CCEL and mail it to:
Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 3201 Burton SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Once to Every Man and Nation

Representative Text

1 Once to every man and nation
Comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of truth with falsehood,
For the good or evil side;
Some great cause, God's new Messiah,
Offering each the bloom or blight,
And the choice goes by forever
Twixt that darkness and that light.

2 Then to side with truth is noble,
When we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit,
And 'tis prosperous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses
While the coward stands aside,
Till the multitude make virtue
Of the faith they had denied.

3 By the light of burning martyrs,
Christ, Thy bleeding feet we track,
Toiling up new Calvaries ever
With the cross that turns not back;
New occasions teach new duties,
Time makes ancient good uncouth;
They must upward still and onward,
Who would keep abreast of truth.

4 Though the cause of evil prosper,
Yet 'tis truth alone is strong;
Though her portion be the scaffold,
And upon the throne be wrong:
Yet that scaffold sways the future,
And, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow
Keeping watch above His own.

Source: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #432

Author: James Russell Lowell

Lowell, James Russell, LL.D., was born at Cambridge, Massachusetts, February 22, 1819; graduated at Harvard College, 1838, and was called to the Bar in 1840. Professor of Modern Languages and Literature (succeeding the Poet Longfellow) in Harvard, 1855; American Minister to Spain, also to England in 1881. He was editor of the Atlantic Monthly, from 1857 to 1862; and of the North American Review from 1863 to 1872. Professor Lowell is the most intellectual of American poets, and first of her art critics and humorists. He has written much admirable moral and sacred poetry, but no hymns. One piece, “Men, whose boast it is that ye" (Against Slavery), is part of an Anti-Slavery poem, and in its present form is found in Hymns of the Spirit, 18… Go to person page >

Timeline

Media

You have access to this FlexScore.
Download:
Are parts of this score outside of your desired range? Try transposing this FlexScore.
General Settings
Stanza Selection
Voice Selection
Text size:
Music size:
Transpose (Half Steps):
Capo:
Contacting server...
Contacting server...
Questions? Check out the FAQ

A separate copy of this score must be purchased for each choir member. If this score will be projected or included in a bulletin, usage must be reported to a licensing agent (e.g. CCLI, OneLicense, etc).

This is a preview of your FlexScore.
Baptist Hymnal 1991 #470
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Full Score (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
The Cyber Hymnal #5200
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)

Instances

Instances (101 - 184 of 184)

The Advent Christian Hymnal #d329

The American Hymnal #d459

The American Hymnal for Chapel Service #d298

Page Scan

The American Hymnal for Chapel Service #321

Page Scan

The Army and Navy Hymnal #148

The Australian Hymn Book with Catholic Supplement #499

Page Scan

The Beacon Hymnal #163

The Beacon Song and Service book #115

The Best Loved Hymns and Prayers of the American People #295

The Book of Common Praise #651

The Book of Hymns #d387

The Canadian Youth Hymnal #196

The Canyon Hymnal #d70

TextPage Scan

The Celebration Hymnal #733

Page Scan

The Century Hymnal #297

The Chapbook #81

The Chapel Hymnal #189

The Chapel Hymnal #189

The Christian Life Hymnal #598

The Church Hymnal #d331

TextPage Scan

The Church Hymnal #197

Page Scan

The Church Hymnal #513

Page Scan

The Church School Hymnal for Youth #184

The Churches of God Hymnal. #d424

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #5200

Page Scan

The English Hymnal #563

Page Scan

The English Hymnal #563

Page Scan

The Evangelical Hymnal #469

Page Scan

The Golden Hymn Book #300

The Harvard University Hymn Book #243

The Hill School Hymnal and Service Book #d195

The Hymn Book of the Anglican Church of Canada and the United Church of Canada #167

The Hymnal #d383

TextPage Scan

The Hymnal #373

Text

The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration #475

Page Scan

The Hymnal for Young People #188

The Hymnal for Youth #221

Page Scan

The Hymnal of Praise #411

The Hymnal of the Evangelical Mission Covenant Church of America #449

Text

The Hymnal of The Evangelical United Brethren Church #376

Page Scan

The Hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America 1940 #519

The Hymnal of the United Church of Christ #252

The Hymnal #410

TextPage Scan

The Hymnal #433

The Hymnal #399

The Hymnary for use in Baptist churches #410

The Hymnary of the United Church of Canada #410

TextPage Scan

The Hymnbook #361

The Junior Hymnal and Suggested Orders of Worship #d199

The Little Church Choir Book #d21

The Methodist Hymn-Book with Tunes #898

The Methodist Hymnal #d387

The Methodist Hymnal #263

The Milton Hymnal #d104

Page Scan

The New Canadian Hymnal #117

Page Scan

The New Canadian Hymnal #117

The New Church Hymnal #d336

Text

The New Church Hymnal #253

The New Hymnal for American Youth #220

The New Hymnal for American Youth #220

The New Hymnal of Praise #d282

The Oxford American Hymnal for Schools and Colleges #d288

Page Scan

The People's Hymn Book #291

Page Scan

The Service Hymnal #373

The Student Hymnary #d283

The Wayside Hymnal #d58

Page Scan

The White Ribbon Hymnal #57

TextPage Scan

The Worshipbook #540

Page Scan

Training hymnal for IWH215 #6

Unity Hymns and Chorals. Rev and enl. with Service Elements #d228

Universal Hymns #d65

Page Scan

University Hymns #164

TextAudio

Voices United #694

We Sing of Life #d66

When Youth Sing #d143

TextPage Scan

Worship and Service Hymnal #468

Page Scan

Worship and Song. (Rev. ed.) #213

Worship His Majesty #677

Worship in Song #d247

Text

Worship in Song #273

Page Scan

Worship Song #783

Page Scan

Youth Hymnal #86

Pages

Exclude 161 pre-1979 instances
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us