Adventist Pioneer Library

The Christian — Family Devotion

The swift declining day

  • No. 556
  • Words Philip Doddridge.
  • 4 stanzas
  • Words only in the original

Words

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1

The swift declining day,How fast its moments fly!While evening's broad and gloomy shadeGains on the western sky.

2

Ye mortals, mark its pace,And use the hours of light;And know, its Maker can commandAt once death's silent night.

3

Give glory to the Lord,Who rules the whirling sphere;Submissive at his footstool bow,And seek salvation there.

4

Then shall new luster breakThrough death's impending gloom,And lead you to unchanging lightIn your celestial home.

About this hymn

As printed Words only. As printed: hymn number «556» (large) at the head of the right column of p. 182, with the reference line «736, 453.» in italic figures beside it — only two references (sing to the tune of hymn 736 or 453); the hymn ends with «Philip Doddridge.» in italics, above hymn 557. The first word «THE» is set as a capital T followed by «HE» in small capitals. Stanzas are numbered «1»–«4» without periods (written «1.»–«4.» here, as in the other deliveries of this book). The print sets a thin space before «!» and «;» («fly !», «light ;», «sphere ;»); it is closed up here. The printer's apostrophe is written straight («evening's», «death's»). Stanza 1, line 3 runs to the right edge of the column («While evening's broad and gloomy shade», with a wider space before «shade»); a single space is written. Lines 2 and 4 of each stanza are indented in the print. Spelling («luster»), punctuation and capitals are the print's. No meter is printed (the text is S. M., 6.6.8.6, like the tunes of the reference line).

Source
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymn and Tune Book (Battle Creek: Review & Herald, 1886/1888)
Where
The Christian — Family Devotion · No. 556 · printed page 182
Checked
lyrics verified (fork reading; parent check pending) · 2026-10-01