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Oh, Decide To-Night

Author: F. A. B. Appears in 3 hymnals First Line: Upon the broad highway, brother Refrain First Line: Oh, decide tonight, brother Used With Tune: [Upon the broad highway, brother]

[Upon the broad highway, brother]

Appears in 3 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: F. A. Blackmer Tune Key: A Flat Major Incipit: 53432 16111 21655 Used With Text: Oh, Decide To-night

Instances

Published text-tune combinations (hymns) from specific hymnals

Author: F. A. B. Hymnal: The Gospel Awakening #166 (1888) First Line: Upon the broad highway, brother Refrain First Line: Oh, decide to-night, brother Lyrics: 1. Upon the broad highway, brother, So long you now have been; So long have sought but found it not, true happiness in sin, You're tired of the way, brother, You feel it is not right; Choose now, I pray, the better way, Oh, yes, decide to-night. Chorus: Oh, decide to-night, brother, Oh, decide to-night; To Jesus bow, your conscience now Is whisp'ring, "This is right;" Oh, decide to-night, brother, Oh, decide to-night; The Spirit may, ere break of day, Forever take its flight. 2. Most grateful should you be, brother, That you are spared so long; Why should God save you from the grave, While yielding to the wrong, When others are cut off, brother, Who have rejected light? It is that you again may view His love, oh, come to-night. [Chorus] 3. This call may be the last, brother, Your chance may soon be o'er; And here be sealed, unless you yield, Your doom forevermore; Sufficient is the tho't, brother, The strongest to affright; Risk not to stay another day, Oh, haste, decide to-night. [Chorus] 4. Most happy will you be, brother, If Christ shall be your choice; Your heart shall be from sin made free, While heav'n and earth rejoice, Oh, haste and seek Him now, brother, Who is the Truth, the Light; Who is the way to endless day, Oh, yes, decide to-night. [Chorus] Tune Title: [Upon the broad highway, brother]

Oh, Decide To-Night

Author: F. A. B. Hymnal: New Harvest Bells #180 (1900) First Line: Upon the broad highway, brother Refrain First Line: Oh, decide tonight, brother Languages: English Tune Title: [Upon the broad highway, brother]

Oh, Decide To-Night

Author: F. A. B. Hymnal: Harvest Bells Nos. 1, 2 and 3 #228.5 (1892) First Line: Upon the broad highway, brother Refrain First Line: Oh, decide tonight, brother Languages: English Tune Title: [Upon the broad highway, brother]

People

Authors, composers, editors, etc.

F. A. Blackmer

1855 - 1930 Person Name: F. A. B. Author of "Oh, Decide To-night" in The Gospel Awakening Blackmer, Francis Augustus. (Ware, Massachusetts, February 17, 1855--October 8, 1930, Somerville, Massachusetts). Advent Christian musician. His parents, Augustus and Jane Blackmer, were among those caught up in the excitement of the Millerite Movement. One son, Fred, became an Advent Christian minister. Francis, with a talent recognized at an early age, consecrated his own life to Christian service as a musician. He was immersed in baptism at the Adventist campmeeting in Springfield, Massachusetts, by Elder Miles Grant. His early years were spend in central Massachusetts, his schooling at Wilbraham Academy. He was largely self-taught in harmony and musical composition. He wrote the words and music to his first gospel song, "Out on the fathomless sea," at the age of sixteen. Altogether he wrote over 300 gospel songs about the Second Coming, witnessing and working for the Lord, and praises to God's Holy Name. A few of these have circulated widely outside his own denomination. His final text, "I shall see him, And be like him," came when he was so weak that his friend, Clarence M. Seamans, had to supply the music. He used the pseudonym, A. Francis, with some of his early songs. Blackmer's first anthology was The Gospel Awakening, (1888). Subsequent gospel songbooks with which he was associated were: Singing by the Way (1895), Carols of Hope (1906), The Golden Sheaf, No. 2 (1916), and Songs of Coming Glory (1926). Most of his adult life was spent in Somerville, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, where he had a prosperous piano business. In the 1890s, his "Francis A. Blackmer Pianos" were made for him by the Washington Hall Piano Company of Boston. Later, his "Good as Gold Pianos" were manufactured by the Christman Piano Company of New York City and shipped directly to his customers throughout New England. In Somerville, Blackmer served as choirmaster and song-leader in the Advent Christian Church for many years. He was also an elder of the church until his death. From 1914 until his death, he was songleader at the mid-summer Alton Bay Campmeeting on Lake Winnepesaukee, New Hapshire. There his High Rock Hill was both a salesroom and a summer cottage over the years. He was a member of the board of directors of the campmeeting association for several years. Very popular were his singing sessions on the campground square between suppertim and evening services, and a final sing into the small hours of the night following the final service of the campmeeting. --Leonard Ellinwood, DNAH Archives