Forward! be our watchword, steps and voices joined;
Seek
the things before us, not a look behind;
Burns the fiery
pillar at our army¡¦s head;
Who shall dream of shrinking, by
our Captain led?
Forward through the desert, through the toil
and fight;
Jordan flows before us; Zion beams with light.
Forward! flock of Jesus, salt of all the earth,
Till each
yearning purpose spring to glorious birth:
Sick, they ask for
healing; blind, they grope for day;
Pour upon the nations
wisdom¡¦s loving ray.
Forward, out of error, leave behind the
night;
Forward through the darkness, forward into light!
Glories upon glories hath our God prepared,
By the souls
that love Him one day to be shared;
Eye hath not beheld them,
ear hath never heard;
Nor of these hath uttered thought or
speech a word;
Forward, marching eastward, where the heaven
is bright,
Till the veil be lifted, till our faith be sight.
Far o¡¦er yon horizon rise the city towers
Where our God
abideth; that fair home is ours:
Flash the streets with
jasper, shine the gates with gold;
Flows the gladdening river
shedding joys untold.
Thither, onward, thither, in the
Spirit¡¦s might;
Pilgrims to your country, forward into light!
To th¡¦eternal Father loudest anthems raise;
To the Son and
Spirit echo songs of praise;
To the Lord of glory, blessed
Three in One,
Be by men and angels endless honor done.
Weak are earthly praises, dull the songs of night:
Forward
into triumph, forward into light!
