The Christian — Family Devotion

While, with ceaseless course, the sun

No. 567
Metre 7s. D.
Tune BENEVENTO.
Words John Newton.
Music Samuel Webbe.
Key E major
Singing key D major
Time 4/4
3 stanzas

Words

While, with ceaseless course, the sunHasted through the former year,Many souls their race have run,Never more to meet us here:Fixed in an eternal state,They have done with all below;We a little longer wait,But how little none can know.

As the winged arrow fliesSpeedily the mark to find,As the lightning from the skiesDarts, and leaves no trace behind,Swiftly thus our fleeting daysBear us down life's rapid stream;Upward, Lord, our spirits raise;All below is but a dream.

Thanks for mercies past receive,Pardon of our sins renew;Teach us henceforth how to liveWith eternity in view;Bless thy word to young and old,Fill us with a Saviour's love,And when life's short tale is told,May we dwell with him above.

About this hymn

As printed As printed: running head «THE CHRISTIAN—FAMILY DEVOTION.»; hymn number «567» (large), tune name «BENEVENTO. 7s. D.» centred over the music (condensed capitals; «D.» smaller), «SAMUEL WEBBE.» at the right (capitals and small capitals). Stanza 1 is set between the staves in a small condensed bold face that prints whole words (only «lit-tle» is hyphenated): «1. While, with ceaseless course, the sun Hasted through the former year, Many souls their race have run, Never more to meet us here :» under system 1 and «Fixed in an eternal state, They have done with all below ; We a lit-tle longer wait, But how little none can know.» under system 2; «through» and «race» are printed in italics. Stanzas 2–3 are printed as text, stanza 2 in the left column under the italic reference line «464, 828.» (= the same words may be sung to the tunes of hymns 464 or 828), stanza 3 in the right column, numbered «2», «3» without periods (written «2.», «3.» here, as in the other deliveries of this book); the even lines of each stanza are indented. «John Newton.» in italics after stanza 3. The print sets a thin space before «:» and «;» («here :», «below ;», «stream ;», «raise ;», «renew ;», «view ;»); it is closed up here. Apostrophes are written straight.