ALL MY DAYS AND ALL MY HOURS

Heather Allington

Heather writes for Sunday Song Book on behalf of the The Salvation Army Oshawa. As a lifelong member of the Army, she has loved these familiar - and some less familiar - songs for many years, and enjoys researching and writing about their origins. She is a wife, mother, grandmother and retired elementary school teacher who likes trying her hand at watercolour painting and poetry writing.

Thou didst give Thyself to me,
On the cross, where Thou didst die;
I would give myself to Thee
While the days are going by.
Where the King, my Lord, may be,
There forever would I stay;
In the center of Thy will
I would be, for now and aye.

CHORUS:
All my days and all my hours,
All my will and all my powers,
All the passion of my soul,
Not a fragment – but the whole
Shall be Thine, dear Lord,
Shall be Thine, dear Lord.

Let the worldlings pass Thee by,
Nothing lovely in Thee see;
As a root in dreary ground
To the many Thou may’st be;
Yet the passion of my soul
Goeth out to call Thee mine;
All the passion of Thy soul
Goeth out to call me Thine.

Still the days are passing by;
End of time is coming on;
Days of service less and less –
Chances soon will all be gone.
Help me use the days that are;
Help me give my little all –
Labour on till Thou shalt give
That last loving, homeward call.

Only the chorus of this song is known by most Salvationists, and included in the Song Books of 1953, 1987 and 2015, yet the verses are found in a 1928 Youth Song Book. The last verse seems most suitable for people of older years. However, the chorus is a prayer of devotion and surrender for believers of all ages and all times. It is noteworthy in the moving story of Major Yin Hung Shun. When Major Yin was a prisoner of war, he was known to sing these words daily in the labour camp line, to encourage other prisoners. When he was awarded the Order of the Founder in 1990 by General Eva Burrows, Major Yin asked permission to sing the chorus to the large congregation, which of course was granted, and he earnestly sang his longtime testimony.

He sang his longtime testimony. https://youtu.be/hClkP3RRXm8 Click To Tweet

Edward Henry Joy lived from 1871 to 1949. He became a Salvationist in Canterbury, England, and later was a bandsman at Folkestone. His book, The Old Corps , (1944) was based on activities at Folkestone, and this later became the basis of the Gowans and Larsson musical, Glory! . Colonel Joy had one corps appointment: Tunstall, England, followed by many administrative positions in the international Salvation Army. His several songs reveal his closeness to the Lord and his desire for others to have a similar experience.