Adventist Pioneer Library

The Christian — Unfaithfulness Lamented

How oft this wretched, sinful heart

  • No. 580
  • Words Anne Steele.
  • 3 stanzas
  • Words only in the original

Words

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1

How oft this wretched, sinful heartHas wandered from the Lord!How oft my roving thoughts depart,Forgetful of his word!

2

Yet mercy calls me now, "Return;"Saviour, to thee I come;My vile ingratitude I mourn;O take the wanderer home!

3

Thy love, so full, so free, so sweet,Blest Saviour, I adore;O keep me at thy sacred feet,And let me rove no more.

About this hymn

As printed Words only. As printed: hymn number «580» (large) in the right column of p. 188, under «John S. Monsell.» of hymn 579, with the italic reference line «724, 399, 147.» (= sing to the tunes of hymns 724, 399 or 147) beside the number; three stanzas of four lines, numbered «1»–«3», the even lines indented; «Anne Steele.» in italics after stanza 3, at the foot of the page. The first word «HOW» is set in capitals and small capitals. No meter is printed (the text is C. M., like the tunes referred to). The print sets a thin space before «!» and «;» and inside the quotation marks («Lord !», «word !», «" Return ; "», «come ;», «mourn ;», «home !», «adore ;»); it is closed up here, and the quotation marks are written straight. Spelling («Saviour»), punctuation and capitals are the print's.

Source
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymn and Tune Book (Battle Creek: Review & Herald, 1886/1888)
Where
The Christian — Unfaithfulness Lamented · No. 580 · printed page 188
Checked
lyrics verified (fork reading; parent check pending) · 2026-10-01