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Standing forth on life's rough way

Author: William Cullen Bryant
Published in 22 hymnals

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Audio files: MIDI

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Representative Text

1 Standing forth on life’s rough way,
Father, guide them;
O, we know not what ere long
May betide them!
'Neath the shadow of thy wing,
Father, hide them;
Waking, sleeping, Lord, we pray,
Go beside them.

Chorus:
Bless them now!
Bless them now!
Bless the children whom we love;
Bless them now!
Bless them now!
Lead them to thyself above.

2 When in prayer they cry to thee,
Thou wilt hear them;
From the stains of sin and shame
Thou wilt clear them;
'Mid the quicksands and the rocks,
Thou wilt steer them;
In temptation, trial, grief,
Be Thou near them. [Chorus]

3 Unto Thee we give them up;
Lord, receive them;
In the world we know must be
Much to grieve them;
Many striving oft and strong
To deceive them;
Trustful, in thy hands of love
We must leave them. [Chorus]

Source: Notes of Victory for Sunday Schools: Wherein an endeavor has been made to present the Way to Victory; the Powers of Victory; the Results of Victory #31

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Author: William Cullen Bryant

Bryant, William, born at Brighton, England, in 1850, ordained by the Presbytery of Troy, N.Y., in 1879, and since 1893 pastor of Mount Clemens Presbyterian Church. His hymn, "Standing forth in life's rough way" (Intercession for Absent Ones), was written at Elizabeth, N.J., June 23, 1874, and first printed in the N.Y. Daily Witness. In Lowry's Brightest and Best, 1875, p. 129, it is given as "Standing forth on life's rough way," and in The Home Hymn Book, 1885,as "Starting forth on life's rough way." It is in common use in Great Britain and America, and is usually assigned to W. C. Bryant, p. 190, i. 22, but in error. Mr. Bryant is the editor of the Michigan Presbyterian. [Rev. L. F. Benson, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology,… Go to person page >

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