Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-07-24
From the National Protestant.
WOULD NOT LIVE AWAY"

The glorious hymn commencing with
81 would not live Away" has long
been favorite with the whole Christ
ian Church. 1t is full of sweetness,
comfort, and holy joy. 1t has been
sung by millions scattered all over the
world, and will be repeated by millions
in ares vet to come. The authorship
of this beautiful hymn belongs to DIR.
William A. Muhlenberg. The origi-
nal first appeared in the Episcopal
Recorder, in Philadelphia, in 1924,
and read as follows;
"Iwould not live alway-live Away be-
oh!no; IN not linger when hidden to go /;
The days OF our pilgrimage granted us here
Are enough for life's woes, full enough for
Would shrink from the paths which the
prophets of God,
Apostles, and martyrs, so joyfully trod?
Like aspirit unblest DER the earth would l
While brethren and friends are al hasten
ing homer
al would not live Away; ask not to stay,
Where storm after storm rises dark DER the
Where, seeking for rest, we but hover
AROUND,
Lake the patriarch's bird. and no resting il
where Hope, when she paints her gray
bow in the air,
despair,
And joys Meeting angel ne'er shedsa glad
ray,
Save the CLEAN of the plumage that bear
him away.
"Iwould not live alway-thus fettered by
sin,
In a moment of strength If 1 sever tht
chain,
Scarce the victory is mine. ere I'm captive
Fen the rapture of pardon is mingled with
And the cup of thanksgiving with peniten
tears;
But my spirit her own Bsiscrere prolongs.
"Iwou.d not live alway--no, welcome the
tomb;
Since Jesus hath lain there, I dread not i'll
Where be deigned to sleep III too bow m
head,
All peaceful to slumber on that halIowet
Then the glorious day break, to follow thai
night,
The orient CLEAN of the angels of light,
With their clarion call for the sleepers tc
And chant forth their mathis, away to the
skies.
who would live Away, away from hi
God,
Away from yon heaven, that blissful abode
Where the rivers of pleasure flow DER the
bright plains,
And the noontide Of glory eternalIy reigns
Where the saints of all ages in harmon!
Their Saviour and brethren, transported
to greet,
While the songs of salvation exultingl.
roll,
And the smile of the Lord is the feast o
the soul:
"That heavenly musici what is IL hear
The notes OF the harper ring sweet in min'
ear
And see, soft unfolding those portals o
The King all arrayed in his beauty behold
oh ! give me, oh! give me the wings of |
To adore him, be near him, enrapt with hi
Ibut wait the summons, 1 list for the word
Alleluia = Amen - evermore with tia
LordH
In1S26 the General Convention oil
the Episcopal Church appointed /;
committee to prepare a collection o
hymns, to be added to the ffty-six
then the whole number attached to tn,
Prayer-book. This measure was il
consequence of anawakened interest il
hymnology, brought about by article,
on Church Poetry" and "a Plea fol
Christian Hymns" addressed to the
authorities of the Church by DR.
Muhlenberg through the religion.
press. He was chosen by the CoHven
ton as one of the committee, and the
Rev. DIR. II. 0nderdunk, the rector o
St. AIMS in Brooklyn, as another
The poem Il would not live Away,
DIR. Underdonk abridged into hymn
OF suitable length for divine worship
and submitted to DR.. Muhlenberg fol
revision. There were no changes from
the sentiment of the original compost
ton; only four lines in the new differ
ed from the original, aud those in ;
few words, as will be seen by compari
son between the two. As it is nov
printed in the Church Hymnal' i
reads
II would not live Away I ask not to stay
Where storm after storm rises dark DER tn
way;
The few lurid meanings that dawn on u
here
Are enough for lies woes, full enough TO
its cheer.
"Iwould not live Away, thus fettered b!
sin,
Temptation without and corruption with
in;
Fen the rapture of pardon is mingled with
fears,
And the cup Thanksgiving with peniten
Tears.
81 would not live Away no, welcome tn,
tomb;
Since Jesus hath lain there. dread not It,
There, sweet be my rest, till he bid me arts.
To hail him in triumph descending tn,
skies.
who, who would live Away, away iron
his God,
Away from yon heaven, that blisSful abode
Where the rivers of pleasure now DER tbs
bright plains,
And the noontide of glory eternally reiyns
Where the saints of all ages in harmon,
meet,
Their Saviour and brethren, Transported
10 greet;
While the anthems of rapture unceasingl,
roll,
And the smile of the Lord Is the feast r,