Look For the Beautiful

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Look for the beautiful, look for the true, Sunshine and shadow are all around you

Author: F. E. Belden
Tune: [Look for the beautiful look for the true] (Belden)
Published in 12 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Look for the beautiful, look for the true;
Sunshine and shadow are all around you.
Looking at evil we grope in the night,
Looking at Jesus we walk in the light;
Look for the beautiful, honor the right.

2 Think of the beautiful, think of the true;
Thoughts like an avalanche sweep over you.
Keep not the multitude, sort them with care,
Testing by purity, purging by prayer;
Think of the beautiful, think of the fair.

3 Talk of the beautiful, talk of the true;
Tongues full of poison are whispering to you.
Answer them not with a tale-bearing word,
Only in blessing the voice should be heard;
Talk of the beautiful, talk of thy Lord.

4 Live for the beautiful, love for the true,
Lifting the fallen as Christ lifted you.
Search for the jewels imbedded in sin;
Bring them to Jesus, his blood washes clean;
Live for the beautiful, keep love within.

Source: Children's Hymnal #111

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Author: F. E. Belden

Belden was born in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1858. He began writing music in his late teenage years after moving to California with his family. For health reasons he later moved to Colorado. He returned to Battle Creek with his wife in the early 1880s, and there he became involved in Adventist Church publishing. F. E. Belden wrote many hymn tunes, gospel songs, and related texts in the early years of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Belden was able to rapidly write both music and poetry together which enabled him to write a song to fit a sermon while it was still being delivered. He also wrote songs for evangelist Billy Sunday. Though Belden’s later years were marred by misunderstandings with the church leadership over his royal… Go to person page >

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First Line:	Look for the beautiful, look for the true, Sunshine and shadow are all around you
Title:	Look For the Beautiful
Author:	F. E. Belden
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain