Hymnal: New Christian Hymn and Tune Book
Date: 1882
Compiler: Fillmore Brothers
Publisher/Printer: Fillmore Brothers
First Line: On what are you building my brother
Topic: Christ/Rock
Writer: H Trickett
Composer: J Rosecrans
Meter: 9s 8s and12 with chorus
Tune: The Rock and the Sand
Hymn Number: 668
Page Number: 270, click to see hymnal pages
LyicsOn what are you building, my brother,
Your hopes of an e-ter-nal home?
Is it loose, shifting sand, or the firm, cold rock,
You are trusting for a-ges to come?
CHO.- Hearing and do-ing, we build on the Rock;
Hearing a-lone, we build on the sand;
Both will be tried by the storm and the flood-
On-ly the Rock the tri-al will stand.
On one or the other, my brother,
You are building your hopes, day by day;
You are risking your soul on the works that you do:
Will the dark waters sweep you away?-CHO.
Your Saviour has warned you, my brother:
I pray you, give heed to his voice:
There is life on the rock, but there's death on the sand-
O, my brother, pray tell me your choice.-CHO.
No matter how careful, my brother,
The sand for your house you prepare,
'Twill be all swept away when the floods shall descend,
Leaving nothing but death and despair.-CHO.