Onward, Christian Soldiers

Onward, Christian Soldiers

 Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before!
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle, see His banners go!

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before!

S Baring-Gould (Wikimedia Commons)Sabine Baring-Gould wrote this song for children, with the melody by Sir Arthur Sullivan.  Born in Exeter, England, Sabine spent much of his childhood travelling around Europe with his father. His schooling was inconsistent, but he did graduate from Cambridge. He was considered a brilliant and self-taught scholar.  He wrote numerous hymns, poems, articles, tracts and books.  The Monday after Whitsunday in 1865, in the town of Horbury, the village children were to march to a neighbouring town for a Sunday School rally.  Sabine found no martial hymn for them to use, so wrote this one.  It is an interesting coincidence that this was the same year that the Salvation Army, with its militant style, began in England.

(Facts from “Then Sings My Soul” by Robert J. Morgan)
Songbook Image The Pipeline Magazine April 2013
Photo Credit Shairon Paterson

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