CHRISTIAN LIFE >> Christian Warfare
SDAH 608
Encamped along the hills of light,
Ye Christian soldiers, rise,
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies.
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For Worship Leaders
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Introductions for Sabbath School Song Service (based on specific lesson quarterlies):
Born November 21, 1837, in Batavia, New York, John Henry Yates attended high school there. He went into business selling shoes at retail, and later served for 15 years as a department manager for E. L. and G. D. Kenyon, a hardware store. For ten years beginning in 1886, he edited a local newspaper. At age 21 he obtained a license to preach in the Methodist Church, but later switched to the Baptists and served as pastor of the West Bethany Free Will Baptist Church for seven years. A book of his work, Poems and Ballads, was published in 1897. He died September 5, 1900.
Yates sent a number of his poems to Ira D. Sankey, who set this one to music, and published it in The Christian Endeavor Hymnbook. It also appeared about that same year, 1891, in Gospel Hymns No. 6.
For comments on Ira D. Sankey (1840-1908), see Biographies.
📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.
Text
1
Encamped along the hills of light,
Ye Christian soldiers, rise,
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies.
Against the foe in vales below,
Let all our strength be hurled;
Faith is the victory, we know,
That overcomes the world.
Refrain
Faith is the victory!
Faith is the victory!
Oh, glorious victory
That overcomes the world.
2
His banner over us in love,
Our sword the Word of God;
We tread the road the saints above
With shouts of triumph trod.
By faith they, like whirlwind’s breath,
Swept on o’er ev’ry field;
The faith by which they conquered death
Is still our shining shield.
3
To him who overcomes the foe
White raiment shall be giv’n;
Before the angels he shall know
His name confessed in heav’n.
Then onward from the hills of light,
Our hearts with love aflame;
We’ll vanquish all the hosts of night,
In Jesus’ conq’ring name.
Hymn Info
Biblical Reference
(a) 1 John 5:4 (b) Eph 6:17, 14 (c) Rev 3:5 (r) 1 John 5:4
Author
John H. Yates (1837-1900)
Year Published
1891
Metrical Number
C.M.D.Ref.
Composer
Ira D. Sankey (1840-1908)
Year Composed
1891
