Life a Journey

Life is a journey, heav'n my home

Author: Anne Steele (1760)
Published in 1 hymnal

Representative Text

I. Life is a journey, heav'n my home,
And shall I negligently stray?
In paths of danger heedless roam,
Forget my guide, forget my way?

II. Think, O my soul, each flying hour
Thy folly chides, thy speed alarms;
And shall an insect, or a flow'r
Amuse thee with their painted charms?

III. Such are the objects earth displays,
To tempt my stay, and gain my heart!
And shall I fondly, vainly gaze?
Ye shining trifles, hence depart.

IV. O think what glorious scenes above,
In bright unbounded prospect rise!
Nor let one vagrant passion rove,
Nor leave a wish below the skies.

V. But ah! how weak my best desires,
My warmest ardours soon decay;
My fainting soul, 'till grace inspires,
Can ne'er pursue the heav'nly way.

VI. On thee I lean, all-gracious God,
O breathe new life thro' all my pow'rs,
Teach me to keep thy sacred road,
And well improve my remnant hours.

Source: Poems on Subjects Chiefly Devotional, Vol. 1 #99

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Author: Anne Steele

Anne Steele was the daughter of Particular Baptist preacher and timber merchant William Steele. She spent her entire life in Broughton, Hampshire, near the southern coast of England, and devoted much of her time to writing. Some accounts of her life portray her as a lonely, melancholy invalid, but a revival of research in the last decade indicates that she had been more active and social than what was previously thought. She was theologically conversant with Dissenting ministers and "found herself at the centre of a literary circle that included family members from various generations, as well as local literati." She chose a life of singleness to focus on her craft. Before Christmas in 1742, she declined a marriage proposal from contemporar… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Life is a journey, heav'n my home
Title:	Life a Journey
Author:	Anne Steele (1760)
Language:	English
Publication Date:	1760
Copyright:	This text is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before 1929.