The Holy Dawn

The soldiers were guarding the Savior's tomb

Author: George D. Elderkin
Tune: [The soldiers were guarding the Savior's tomb]
Published in 2 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1. The soldiers were guarding the Savior’s tomb,
At the close of the Sabbath day;
And the shadows lay deep in the garden gloom
Where the body of Jesus lay;
For the priests had rememberèd that it was said,
That the Savior should rise again from the tomb.
And the watch was kept while the Savior slept,
And His loved ones wept, for He was no more,
And His loved ones wept, for He was no more.

2. The grave was made sure and the stone was sealed,
Lest His friends steal away the Lord,
And the light of the torches the guards revealed,
In obedience to Pilate’s word.
Lo, an earthquake was sent and Jesus’ tomb was rent
And the keepers did shake, to earth then they reeled.
And the watch was kept while the Savior slept,
And His loved ones wept, for He was no more,
And His loved ones wept, for He was no more.

3. The angel of God rolled the stone away
From the door of the Savior’s tomb,
And the fair, holy dawn of the Easter day
Had dispelled all the night of gloom;
And the angel then told unto the women there,
The Master hath ris’n, O see where He lay.
Oh, the holy dawn of the Easter morn,
How it turns our night into day so bright,
How it turns our night into day so bright.

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #2522

Author: George D. Elderkin

Almost nothing is known about George D. Elderkin (b. 1845; d. 1928). There was a George D. Elderkin Publishing Company in Chicago which published four collections of gospel hymns entitled The Finest of the Wheat. Book Three (1904) includes 259 songs, including music by both George D. and George W. Elderkin, “for prayer and evangelistic meetings, church and missionary services, Sunday schools and young people’s societies,” and was edited by Geo. D. Elderkin, C. C. McCabe, Wm. J. Kirkpatrick, H. L. Gilmour, G. W. Elderikn, and F. A. Hardon.” It was hardbound, and sold for 30 cents per copy, postpaid. Emily Brink Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: The soldiers were guarding the Savior's tomb
Title: The Holy Dawn
Author: George D. Elderkin
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #2522
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)

Instances

Instances (1 - 1 of 1)
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The Cyber Hymnal #2522

Include 1 pre-1979 instance
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