Onward Christian Soldiers
The true story is old of a young Christian scholar, Sabine Baring-Could, who lived in England. Rev. Sabine enjoyed working with young boys and girls. He started a school attended by young men and women, as well as children, on every winter evening. The education he provided was all that some could afford during that time. Not only did Sabine want to educate those he worked with, but he wanted to help make them Christians through the proclamation of the gospel message which he spoke. He taught the Bible in an upper room, over the school, where these gathered to learn. Sabine wanted the children to hear about Jesus.
In the town where the man lived, when the children made a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, they marched down to the river, in a group, to be baptized. They also marched into towns for a Sunday school rally in a group.
Rev. Sabine searched for a song in all the hymn books, which would make a good marching song for the children on their trips, or to be baptized on Pentecost Sunday. The baptismal candidates marched to the rivers, or founts, wearing robes of white, thus the day came to be called “White Sunday”-- or Whitsunday, by the British people.
Sabine could not find any appropriate song for the day of their long walk to the school or for a baptism. This bothered him, so he began scribbling words on a piece of paper which would be a processional for them. The words he wrote for that happy occasion in 1865 became the song, "Onward Christian Soldiers" which we see in many of our Christian hymnals today:
Onward Christian soldiers
Marching as to war
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before
Can you imagine this group of children keeping step to the marching beat of Rev. Sabine's song? What joy there must have been in the hearts of the parents as they observed their children carrying flags and singing the hymn of faith?
Although originally written for children, the song became a popular song of the faith. What a wonderful thought that we are soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ and marching in His army toward Zion, and that heavenly Jerusalem. We are to pick up our cross and carry it, knowing that our Commander-In-Chief will lead us as we march on for Him. Our prayer is that souls will not say "no" to the Lord but will join God's army.
We are marching forth each day in the good fight of faith and are made Conquerors through the blood of the Lamb who has already won the war. May we always have a courageous and faithful approach as we go forward. One day we will cross over to heaven's golden shores where there will be peace forevermore. There will be no more pain or suffering and no more earthly battles. The good fight of faith assures us of eternal rest and victory in Jesus. Keep marching forth each new day. The lights of home are just ahead in that land of eternal day.
Jo Ann Kelly
The true story is old of a young Christian scholar, Sabine Baring-Could, who lived in England. Rev. Sabine enjoyed working with young boys and girls. He started a school attended by young men and women, as well as children, on every winter evening. The education he provided was all that some could afford during that time. Not only did Sabine want to educate those he worked with, but he wanted to help make them Christians through the proclamation of the gospel message which he spoke. He taught the Bible in an upper room, over the school, where these gathered to learn. Sabine wanted the children to hear about Jesus.
In the town where the man lived, when the children made a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, they marched down to the river, in a group, to be baptized. They also marched into towns for a Sunday school rally in a group.
Rev. Sabine searched for a song in all the hymn books, which would make a good marching song for the children on their trips, or to be baptized on Pentecost Sunday. The baptismal candidates marched to the rivers, or founts, wearing robes of white, thus the day came to be called “White Sunday”-- or Whitsunday, by the British people.
Sabine could not find any appropriate song for the day of their long walk to the school or for a baptism. This bothered him, so he began scribbling words on a piece of paper which would be a processional for them. The words he wrote for that happy occasion in 1865 became the song, "Onward Christian Soldiers" which we see in many of our Christian hymnals today:
Onward Christian soldiers
Marching as to war
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before
Can you imagine this group of children keeping step to the marching beat of Rev. Sabine's song? What joy there must have been in the hearts of the parents as they observed their children carrying flags and singing the hymn of faith?
Although originally written for children, the song became a popular song of the faith. What a wonderful thought that we are soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ and marching in His army toward Zion, and that heavenly Jerusalem. We are to pick up our cross and carry it, knowing that our Commander-In-Chief will lead us as we march on for Him. Our prayer is that souls will not say "no" to the Lord but will join God's army.
We are marching forth each day in the good fight of faith and are made Conquerors through the blood of the Lamb who has already won the war. May we always have a courageous and faithful approach as we go forward. One day we will cross over to heaven's golden shores where there will be peace forevermore. There will be no more pain or suffering and no more earthly battles. The good fight of faith assures us of eternal rest and victory in Jesus. Keep marching forth each new day. The lights of home are just ahead in that land of eternal day.
Jo Ann Kelly
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