185. Up, Brethren, Onward Pressing

1. Up, brethren, onward pressing!
The shades of night draw near;
To tarry is distressing
Upon this desert drear.
Come, gird your loins with strength;
The goal eternal heeding,
From strength to strength proceeding,
You gain your goal at length.

2. We shall not be regretful
To walk the narrow road;
Nor can we be forgetful
That we are called of God.
Come, put your trust in Him!
Your faces heavenward turning,
Come, satisfy your yearning
To reach Jerusalem!

3. No tears of parting blind us
As we go on our way;
We leave the world behind us
To find a better day.
Let nothing cause dismay;
A thousand worlds disdaining,
Their tempting and complaining,
Go calmly on your way!

4. From self turn here your faces,
Then will your path be sure!
Who flesh and sense embraces
Is but a pilgrim poor.
The creature leave below,
And all things that still bind you,
Your own self leave behind you, -
Through death these all must go!

5. As pilgrims we must wander,
From earthly burdens free;
Else as we journey yonder
Our path would trying be!
He fails who will not heed!
The least can satisfy us;
All things we would deny us
Save what we truly need.

6. Adorn your hearts with graces!
Let house and self alone; -
Ours are but strangers’ faces
And soon we shall be gone.
Lo, ease but leads astray; -
So humble bear each trial
And practice self-denial
In this short pilgrim day.

7. We must not pause to dally
With child’s play by the way!
Our powers we must rally,
Sloth follows on delay.
Pay no attention here –
On then! All ease now spurning,
Away from vain thoughts turning,
For danger’s always near!

8. And though the way be narrow,
So lonely, rough, and drear,
Though thorns our feeling harrow,
With there a cross and here;
It is the one way home!
Fear not! But onward pressing,
We, with our Leader’s blessing,
All ills shall overcome!

9. What may take place about us,
We scarcely hear or see;
May these go on without us,
No idle dreams have we.
Eternal is our goal;
Our dealings are in heaven,
Our life to God is given,
Our very heart and soul.


10. The image of our Savior
Is pressed upon us here;
It shows in our behavior
So childlike and so fair;
How gently, pure and still,
The lambs, their path surveying,
All follow without straying
Just as their Shepherd will.

11. We journey in seclusion,
Despised and quite unknown;
Unseen mid the confusion
Of this land, not our own;
Yet, if the world pays heed,
It hears our voices ringing,
Songs of the homeland singing,
For which we yearn indeed.

12. Up, then, let naught defy us,
The Father with us goes,
And He himself stands by us,
Each bitter step He knows.
He will our courage raise,
His looks of grace attend us,
He will refresh, defend us, -
Oh, we have blissful days!

13. Then onward, sister, brother,
Let us go hand in hand,
With joy in one another,
In this unfriendly land.
O let us childlike be;
Let here no strife divide us!
The angels walk beside us, -
God’s children, they and we.

14. Or should a weak one stumble,
The strong must help with zest:
To aid, none is too humble.
All thus sow love and rest.
Come, be more firm today;
Let each strive to be lowly
And likewise pure and holy
Upon our blesséd way.


15. Come, let us journey gladly,
Day follows after day,
The way grows shorter daily,
The flesh soon proves but clay.
More courage and more love!
To be a little truer,
Of earthly matters freer,
And turned to things above!

16. Then journey on reliant,
The goal is well worthwhile;
Of all things be defiant
That hinder or beguile!
Earth, thou art small indeed:
With Christ Himself to guide us,
Eternity shall hide us, -
For Christ is all we need!

17. O Friend, so true and precious,
A pleasure to our eyes;
Abiding and all gracious,
What hope Thy love supplies!
Our joys are all in Thee,
O Fount of life and pleasure,
Thou art our only Treasure
Through all eternity!