The Christian — Comfort and Encouragement

Is not the way to heavenly gain

No. 699
Words Henry F. Lyte.
Singing key E♭ major
4 stanzas

Sung to LITCHFIELD (hymn 201)

Words

Is not the way to heavenly gainThrough earthly grief and loss?Rest must be won by toil and pain,—The crown repays the cross.

In tears and trials thou must sowTo reap in joy and love;We cannot find our home below,And hope for one above.

As woods, when shaken by the breeze,Take deeper, firmer root;As winter's frost but makes the treesAbound in summer fruit;

So every heaven-sent pang and throeThat Christian firmness tries,But nerves us for our work below,And forms us for the skies.

About this hymn

As printed Words only. As printed: hymn number «699» (large) at the foot of the left column of p. 228, below hymn 698, with the reference line «201, 395, 183.» in italics beside it (sing to the tune of hymn 201, 395 or 183); four stanzas numbered «1»–«4» (written «1.»–«4.» here, as in the other deliveries of this book), with «Henry F. Lyte.» in italics after stanza 4. The first word «Is» is set in ordinary type (no small capitals visible). Lines 2 and 4 of each stanza are indented in the print. The print sets a thin space before «?» and «;» («loss ?», «love ;», «root ;», «fruit ;»); it is closed up here, and the apostrophe («winter's») is written straight. No meter is printed (the text is C. M., 8.6.8.6, like the referenced tunes). Spelling, punctuation and capitals are the print's.