EARLY ADVENT
SDAH 442
How sweet are the tidings that greet the pilgrim’s ear,
As he wanders in exile from home!
Soon, soon will the Savior in glory appear,
And soon will the kingdom come.
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For Worship Leaders
Make each hymn more meaningful with these helpful tools: Short, ready-to-use hymn introductions for church bulletins, multiple ways to introduce a hymn based on your worship theme and in-depth history and insights to enrich your song service.
Hymn Spotlight: How Sweet Are the Tidings
This anonymous early Adventist hymn draws a vivid contrast between the sorrows and death of our earthly journey and the radiant hope of Christ’s soon return. Its lively tune, BONNIE ELOISE, once stirred both Union and Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War. Originally composed in 1858 by Welsh musician John Roger Thomas for a love song about a farmer’s daughter, it became “the song of the year” before being paired with sacred words in 1867. Today, its joyful march reminds believers to lift their eyes above earth’s griefs, keeping our hope fixed on the day when sorrow will be no more.
📖 Reference: Feel free to share but please cite hymnsforworship.org when reproducing.
Introductions for Sabbath School Song Service (based on specific lesson quarterlies):
This anonymous hymn of the early Adventists contrasts the loneliness, sorrow, and death of this earthly life with the glorious hope of the soon coming of Jesus.
The tune BONNIE ELOISE is taken almost unchanged from a popular marching song played by the army bands of both Yankees and Confederates in the American Civil War. It was composed by John Roger Thomas in 1858 to words by George W. Elliott titled “Bonny Eloise, the Belle of Mohawk Vale,” in praise of a farmer’s daughter. It became the song of the year and later was pressed into service with sacred words, first appearing in Second in 1867. Thomas was a Welshman, an opera singer, and a prolific composer Advent Hymn Book, compiled by Phineas A. Smith in Rochester, New York, who produced many successful secular song tunes.
📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.
Text
1
How sweet are the tidings that greet the pilgrim’s ear,
As he wanders in exile from home!
Soon, soon will the Savior in glory appear,
And soon will the kingdom come.
Refrain
He’s coming, coming, coming soon I know,
Coming back to this earth again;
And the weary pilgrims will to glory go,
When the Savior comes to reign.
2
The mossy old graves where the pilgrims sleep
Shall be open as wide as before,
And the millions that sleep in the mighty deep
Shall live on this earth once more.
3
There we’ll meet ne’er to part in our happy
Eden home, Sweet songs of redemption we’ll sing;
From the north, from the south, all the ransomed shall come,
And worship our heavenly King.
4
Hallelujah, Amen! Hallelujah again!
Soon, if faithful, we all shall be there;
O, be watchful, be hopeful, be joyful till then,
And a crown of bright glory we’ll wear.
Hymn Info
Biblical Reference
(a) Luke 8:1; 1 Pet 2:11; Tit 2:13; Rev 22:20 (b) Eze 37:12; Rev 20:13 (c) Luke 13:29 (d) Rev 19:4; 1 Pet 5:4 (r) Rev 22:12
Author
Anonymous
Theme
EARLY ADVENT
Hymn Tune
BONNIE ELOISE
Metrical Number
12.8.12.8.Ref.
Arranged
from John R. Thomas
Year Composed
1858
Recommended Reading
Miller gained a huge following which came to be called, the ‘Millerites.’ Great Tent meetings were set up, and the progressing movement saw the need to provide new hymns. Sure, they had songs that they were singing from the churches they belonged to, but none that supported the distinct messages that was being preached such as the judgment, second advent, reward of the saints and the midnight cry. As a result, hymns were compiled and the first Millerite hymnal was born.
