Pull Up Stream

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O how many are drifting with life's restless tide

Author: Haldor Lillenas
Tune: [O how many are drifting with life's restless tide]
Published in 4 hymnals

Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 O how many are drifting while life’s restless tide,
On the river of time, t’wards perdition they glide;
Never heeding the warning of shore lights that gleam,
They are tho’tlessly, carelessly drifting down stream.

Refrain:
The pull up the stream,
Tho’ the current be strong,
Bravely take up your stand against sin,
O, fight the wrong;
Then pull up the stream, sailor bend to the oar,
For soon you will be anchored near the shining shore.

2 It is easy to drift in the current so strong,
It is easy to follow the great careless throng;
But to pull up the stream against waves and the storm,
It takes power of purpose God’s will to perform. [Refrain]

3 Are you pulling up stream with your pilot and guide,
Christ the Savior will help you life’s storm to out ride;
If you faithfully bravely your voyage persue,
On to Celestial shores there’ll be welcome for you. [Refrain]

Source: The King of Glory #44

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Author: Haldor Lillenas

Rv Haldor Lillenas DMus Norway/USA 1885-1959. Born at Stord, near Bergen, Norway, his father sold their 15 acre farm in Norway and emigrated to the U.S., buying a farm in Colton, SD. After he built a sod house, the family (wife and three chldren) also came to SD in 1887. They moved to Astoria, Oregon in 1889, where Lillenas learned English and began writing song lyrics at an early age. In 1900 the family moved again to Roseville, MN, where he worked as a farm laborer and began attending a Lutheran high school at Hawick, MN. He sold a few songs at age 19. At age 21 he began writing more songs, encouraged by some earlier ones becoming popular (“He set me free” was one). His mother died in 1906 and his father returned to ND, but Li… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	O how many are drifting with life's restless tide
Title:	Pull Up Stream
Author:	Haldor Lillenas
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	Then pull up the stream
Copyright:	Public Domain