Forward! Be Our Watchword

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! When in child­hood

Buds the in­fant mind;

All through youth and man­hood

Not a thought be­hind;

Speed through realms of na­ture

Climb the steps of grace;

Faint not

till in glo­ry

Gleams our Fa­ther’s face.

Forward

all the life­time

Climb from height to height

Till the head be hoa­ry

Till the eve be 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!

Into God’s high tem­ple

Onward as we press

Beauty spreads around us

Born of ho­li­ness;

Arch

and vault

and carv­ing

Lights of va­ried tone

Softened words and ho­ly

Prayer and praise alone.

Every thought up­rais­ing

To our ci­ty bright

Where the tribes as­sem­ble

Round the throne of light.

Naught that city need­eth

Of these aisles of stone;

Where the God­head dwell­eth

Temple there is none;

All the saints that ev­er

In these courts have stood

Are but babes

and feed­ing

On the child­ren’s food.

On through sign and to­ken

Stars amidst the night

Forward through the dark­ness

Forward in­to light.

To th’eter­nal Fa­ther

Loudest an­thems raise;

To the Son and Spir­it

Echo songs of praise;

To the Lord of glo­ry

Blessèd 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!