Salvation

Salvation, Oh! the joyful sound, ’Tis pleasure to our ears;
A sov’reign balm for every wound, a cordial for our fears.

Before the rosy dawn of day, to thee my God I’ll sing;
awake each tuneful lyre, awake each charming string.

Awake and let the flowing strains glide through the midnight air;
While high amidst her silent orb the moon shines clear.

Awake my soul, arise my tongue, prepare a tuneful voice;
In God the life of all my joys, aloud will I rejoice.

--Melody, “Primrose C.M.”, with additional verse texts
The Missouri Harmony (Phillips and Reynolds, Cincinnati, 1846)

 

                                Autumn

See the leaves around ye falling, dry and withered to the ground;
Thus to thoughtless mortals calling in a sad and solemn sound.
Sons of Adam, once in Eden, when like us ye blighted fell,
Hear the lecture we are reading, ’Tis alas the truth we tell.

Youth, on length of days presuming, who on paths of pleasure tread,
View us late in beauty blooming, numbered now among the dead.
Though as yet no losses grieve you, flush with health and many a grace,
Let no cloudless skies deceive you, summer gives to autumn place.

--Melody, “Autumn”, The Missouri Harmony;
second verse text: School Harmonist (Harper and Bros., New York, 1883)

                         Love is Now Our Crown

O! Love is now our crown,
It mirrors bright our virtue,
And wisdom is our goal,
Which grants us God’s blessing.

The Lamb is now our prize,
We give ourselves to Him,
And follow in His path,
We virgins chaste.

--Text from a decorated wall hanging, Ephrata Cloister,
Ephrata, Pennsylvania, 18th Century. Music, WPH