Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-06-11
ed in Episcopal Recorder, y the following
poem, the original form of the hymn:

poem. the original form of the hymn:
THE ORIGINAL HYMN.
would not live alway-live Away below!
Oh, no I'll not linger when hidden to go;
The days of our pilgrimage granted us here.
Are enough for fes woes full enough for its cheer
! Would shrink from the paths which the prophet
J. of Cod
| Apostles and martyrs so ioyfully trod?
! Like a spirit unblest DER the earth would roam,
/ While brethren and friends are all hastenlng home
|sI would not live alway; ask not to stay
Where storm after storm rises dark DER the way;
Where, seeking for rest we but hover around,
Like the patriarch's Bird and resting is found;
Where hope when she paints her gay bow III TIT
air,
Leaves it's brilace to fade in the night OF despair
\ And joys teeting angel ne'er sheds glad ray
Save the CLEAN Of the pumage that bears him away.
|: NwOuld not live Away, thus fettered by sin,
/ Temptations without and corruption within; 5.
Hn;e moment OF strength if I sever the chain,
Scarce the victory is mine I'm captive again;
/ Eler the rapture of pardon is mingled with fears
AntiHhe cup of thanksgiving with penitent tears;
Theifs stval trump calls for jubilant songs;
Butnsy spirit her own miserere prolongs.
u worllf not live alway-no! welcome the tomb;
Since Jesus hath lain there, dread not its gloom
Where he deigned to sleep, I'll too bow my head,
All peaceful, to slumber on that halloWed bed
Then the glorious daybreak to follow that night,
The orient g!aam of the angels OF light,
With their clakion call for the sleepers to rise
And chant forth their mathis away to the skies.
Who would live ALWAYS, away from his God,
A way from yon heaven that blissful abode,
w here the rivers of pleasure flow DER the bright
plains,
And the noontide of glory externally reigns
Where the saints of all ages eternally meet
Their Savior and brethren transported to greet,
While the songs of salvation axultingly roll,
And the smile of the Lord is tie feast of the SOUL
That heavenly music! what is it hear?
The notes OF the harper ring sweet in mine ear!
And see, soft unfolding those portals OF gold,
The King all array ed in his beauty, behold!
O. give me: O, give me the wings OF dove,
To adore Him, be near Him, enrapt with his love;
but wait the summons, list for the word
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. with the Lord.
This poem, Dr. Onderdonk abridged into
a hymn of suitable length for church use,
and submitted it to DR.. Muhlenberg, EOf
revision. In this way it was moulded into
the form in which it is now known and
sung in every Christian household i'll the
land, and was then passed upon favorably
by the subcommittee, who presented 1T
to the general committee having charge OF
the subject. There were NC changes from
the sentiment of the original compositions;
only four lines in the new di ffereG from
the original, and these only in few words,
as will be seen by comparison be, tween the
two. AS it is now printed in the Church
Hymnal, it reads:
THE HYMN AS 1T Is EVERYWHERE aUN.i.
would not live alway; ask not to stay
Where storm after storm rises dark DER the gay;
The Few lurid mornings that dawn us here
Afeeough for lifes woes, full enough for itsehe r.
wouM not live alway; thus fettered by sin
Temptation without and corruption within
Fen the capture Of pardon is mingled with fears,
And the CUP of thanksgiving with penitent tears.
would not 1--we alway; no. welcome the tomb
Since Jesus hath lain there dread not its gloom;
There, sweet be my rest till He bid me arise
To hail him i'll triumph descending the skies.
Who, who would live Away, away from his God
Away from yon heaven, that bssfu abode,
Where the rivers of pleasure flow DER the bright
plains.
And the noontide of glory etcrnally reigns.
Where the saints OF all ages in harmony meet
Their Savior and brethren transported to greet;
While the anthems of rapture increasingly roll,
And the smile of the Lord is the feast of the soul?
The general committee did not meet I'M
til 1929, and then the members assembled
in the house of Bishop White in Phila-
delphia. The report of the subcommittee
was presented, and each Of the hymns was
passed upon separately. When this one
came up one of the members said that it
was very sweet and pretty, but rather SEN
thrown out. DR.. Muhlenberg, who was
not suspected as the author, voted against
it himself. That, he supposed. was the end
of it, for the committee agreed upon their
report that night and adjourned.
DIR. ONDERDONK AsToNIsHED.
But the next morning DR.. Onderdonk,
who had not attended on the previous
evening, called on DR.. Muhlenberg to in
quire what had been done. Upon being
told that among the rejected hymns was.
the one representing their joint labors, he
said, 'sThat will never do, "and went about.
among the members of the committee,
soliciting them to restore the hymn in
their report, which accordingly they did,
so that to him is due the credit of giving
it to the church at that time.
LITTLE GRAVES. Sacred places for
pure thoughts and holy meditations are
the little graves in the churchyard. They
are the repositories of the mothers sweet
est Joy, half nnfolded buds of innocent hui
manity nipped by the first frost of time,
ere yet canker worm of corruption has
nestled among it's embryo petals. Gallons
indeed must be the heart of him who can
stand by little grave-side and not have
the hottest emotions of the soul awakened
to thoughts Of purity and joy which be-
long alone to God in Heaven, for the mute
preacher at his feet tells of lives begun
and ended without stain; and surely if this
be vouchsafed of mortality, how much
purer and holier must be the spiritual land
enlightened by the sun of infinite good
ness. whence emanated the soul of that
brief sojourner among us? How swells
the heart of the parent with mournful joy
while standing by the earth-bed of lost
little ones. Mournful, because a sweet
treasure has been taken aWaY-joyful, be-
cause that precious jewel glitters in the
diadem of the Redeemer.
A SERMON WORTH RECOLLECTING.-
An eminent clergyman in Trenton, N.
j., sat in his study, some time, busily en-
gagged in preparing his Sunday sermon,
when his little boy toddled into the room,
and holding up his finger said with an
expression Of suffering, "Look, pop, how