Hymns from the Four Winds ‎#82

82. Once to Every Man and Nation

1 Once to ev'ry man and nation
Comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of truth with falsehood,
For the good or evil side;
Some great cause, God's new Messiah,
Off'ring each the bloom or blight,
And the choice goes by forever
Twixt that darkness and that light.

2 Then to side with truth is noble,
When we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit,
And 'tis prosp'rous to be just;
Then it is the brave one chooses
While the coward stands aside,
Till the multitude make virtue
Of the faith they had denied.

3 By the light of burning martyrs,
Christ, your bleeding feet we track,
Toiling up new Calv'ries ever
With the cross that turns not back;
New occasions teach new duties,
Time makes ancient good uncouth;
They must upward still and onward,
Who would keep abreast of truth.

4 Though the cause of evil prosper,
Yet 'tis truth alone is strong;
Though her portion be the scaffold,
And upon the throne be wrong:
Yet that scaffold sways the future,
And, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow
Keeping watch above his own.

Text Information

• First Line: Once to ev'ry man and nation
• Title: Once to Every Man and Nation
• Author: James Russell Lowell (1845)
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1983
• Scripture:
  Romans 8:37
• Topic: The Christian Life: Justice and Human Rights; Responses to God: Commitment; Jesus Christ: Passion and Crucifixion; The Christian Life: Affirmation and Truth; The Christian Life: Discipleship, Service, and Mission; The Christian Life: Liberation and Justice; The Christian Life: Life, Death, and Parting; Light and Darkness; People of Faith: The Saints

Tune Information

• Name: TYZEN
• Composer: Tyzen Hsiao (1980)
• Incipit: 56111 6165
• Key: E♭ Major
• Source: Taiwanese
• Copyright: Music copyright © 1983 by Tyzen Hsiao