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Hymnals of the Stone-Campbell Movement

Enos E. Dowling Hymnal Collection

Hymn: Happy the man whose cautious steps (FL)

Hymnal: The Christian Hymn-Book

Date: 1829

Compiler: B W Stone and T Adams

Publisher/Printer: N L Finnell

First Line: Happy the man whose cautious steps

Topic: The Christian

Writer: <no first name given> <no last name given>

Composer:

Meter: CM

Tune:

Hymn Number: 213

Page Number: 237, click to see hymnal pages

Lyics

Happy the man, whose cautious steps

Still keep the golden mean;

Whose life by wisdom's rules well form'd,

Declares a conscience clean.



Not of himself he highly thinks,

Nor acts the boaster's part,

His modest tongue the language speaks 

Of his still humbler heart.



Not in the base scandal's arts he deals,

For truth dwells in his breast;

With grief, he sees his neighbor's faults,

And thinks and hopes the best.



What blessings bounteous heav'n bestows,

He takes with thankful heart;

With temp'rance he both eats and drinks;

And gives the poor a part.



To sect or party, his large soul

Disdain to be confin'd;

The good he loves, of ev'ry name,

And prays for all mankind.



Pure is his zeal, the offspring fair,

Of truth and heavenly love;

The bigot's rage can never dwell

Where rests the heav'nly dove.



His business is to keep his heart,

Each passion to control;

Nobly ambitious well to rule

The empire of his soul.



Not on the world his heart is set,

His treasure is above;

Nothing beneath the sov'reign good,

Can claim his highest love.