Speed Away

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Speed away, speed away over mountains and sea

Author: F. E. Belden
Tune: [Speed away, speed away on your mission of light] (Woodbury)
Published in 3 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Speed away! speed away, over mountain and sea,
To the hearts that are waiting with welcome for thee;
There are eyes that will gleam with the glad gospel light,
There are feet that will walk in the pathway of right,
There are voices to sing
Praise to Jesus the King:
Speed away! speed away! Speed away!

2 Speed away! speed away from thy home fair and bright,
To the homes that are darken'd by sin's starless night,
Tho' the world with its pleasures invite thee to stay,
Tho' the lov'd ones entreat thee "good-bye" to delay
Look away thro' the tears,
To eternity's years:
Speed away! speed away! Speed away!

3 Speed away! speed away, with the love of thy Lord,
With the glorious tidings revealed in his word:
Bear the Bethlehem story with gladness to men,
Bid the world to prepare for His coming again;
Free salvation proclaim
Thro' Immanuel's name:
Speed away! speed away! Speed away!

Source: Christ in Song: for all religious services nearly one thousand best gospel hymns, new and old with responsive scripture readings (Rev. and Enl.) #703

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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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