Hymnal: The Christian Hymnal
Date: 1871
Compiler: Under direction of the Christian Hymn-Book Committee
Publisher/Printer: Bosworth Chase & Hall
First Line: My Christian friends in bonds of love
Topic: The Church/Love Unity and Fellowship
Writer: <no first name given> <no last name given>
Composer:
Meter: LM double
Tune: Parting Hymn
Hymn Number: 356
Page Number: 131, click to see hymnal pages
LyicsMy Chris-tian friends in bonds of love,
Whose hearts the sweetest union prove;
Your friendship's like the strongest band,
Yet we must take the part-ing hand.
Your pres-ence sweet, our un-ion dear,
What joys we feel to-geth-er here!
And when I see that we must part,
You draw like cords a-round my heart.
How sweet the hours have passed away,
Since we have met to sing and pray;
How loath are we to leave the place
Where Jesus shows his smiling face!
Oh could I stay with friends so kind,
How would it cheer my fainting mind!
But pilgrims in a foreign land,
We oft must take the parting hand.
My Christian friends, both old and young,
I trust you will in Christ go on;
Press on, and soon you'll win the prize-
A crown of glory in the skies.
A few more days, or years, at most,
And we shall reach fair Canaan's coast:
When, in that holy, happy land,
We'll take no more the parting hand.