The Christian — Comfort and Encouragement

When darkness gathers round thy way

No. 710
Metre P. M.
Tune PEACEFUL REST.
Words Annie R. Smith.
Music Unknown.
Key C major
Singing key B♭ major
Time 3/4
4 stanzas

Words

When darkness gathers round thy way,As fall the shades of even;No star, with its mild, cheering ray,To chase the gloom, our fears allay,—How sweet the light of heaven!

When toiling in the narrow way,By persecution driven,Beset with treacherous snares that layTo lead our wayward feet astray,How sweet the smiles of heaven!

When by earth's care and grief and woeThe anguished heart is riven,And bitter tears of sorrow flow,No soothing balm found here below,—How sweet the joy of heaven!

And when our pilgrimage is o'er,The blessed promise given;When, borne on angels' wings we soarTo meet the Saviour we adore,—How sweet the home in heaven!

About this hymn

As printed As printed: running head «THE CHRISTIAN—COMFORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT.»; hymn number «710» (large, left), tune name «PEACEFUL REST. P. M.» centred over the music, «UNKNOWN.» at the right (capitals and small capitals). Stanza 1 is set between the staves in running type, «1.» before «When», the first system carrying lines 1–2 and the beginning of line 3 («No star, with its mild,»), the second system «cheer-ing ray,» and lines 4–5; only «cheer-ing» and «al - lay» are printed with syllable hyphens, joined here. «al-lay,—How» is printed with the dash closed up to «How». Stanzas 2–4 are printed as text below the music in two columns, with no reference line; stanza 3 begins in the left column (three lines) and ends at the top of the right column (two lines); «Annie R. Smith.» in italics after stanza 4. The stanza numbers of the text stanzas are printed without a full stop («2 When»); they are numbered «2.» here like stanza 1. Lines 2 and 5 of each stanza are indented in the print. The printer's thin space before «;» and «!» («even ;», «heaven !», «given ;») is closed up here. «o'er», «angels'», «Saviour» and the dashes of «below,—» and «adore,—» are the print's.