The Spiritual Sailor

Instrumentation: Voices, Guitars, Recorders, Glockenspiel
Time: 2:02
Download: Music (mp3) | Score (png)

1. The people called Christians
    Have many things to tell
About the land of Canaan,
    Where saints and angels dwell;
But here a dreadful ocean,
    Enclosing them around,
With its tides, still divides
    Them from Canaan’s happy ground.

2. Many have been impatient
    To work their passage through,
And with united wisdom
    Have tried what they could do;
But vessels built by mortals
    Have never sailed far,
Till we’ve found them aground
    On some dreadful, sandy bar.

3. The everlasting gospel
    Hath launched the deep at last
Behold the sails expanded
    Along the tow’ring mast!
Along the deck in order,
    The joyful sailors stand,
Crying, “Ho! here we go
    To Immanuel’s happy land.”

4. We’re now on the wide ocean
    We bid the world farewell;
And though where we shall anchor
    No mortal tongue can tell.
About our fate in future
    There need be no debate,
While we ride on the tide,
    With our Captain and his Mate.

5. To those who are spectators,
    What anguish must ensue,
To hear their old companions
    Bid them a last adieu!
The pleasures of your paradise
    No more our hearts invite;
We will sail—you may rail—
    We shall soon be out of sight.

6. The passengers united
    In order, peace, and love;—
The wind is in our favor,
    How swiftly do we move!
Though tempests may assail us,
    And raging billows roar,
We will sweep through the deep,
    Till we reach fair Canaan’s shore.

Details
Author: Unknown
Composer: Dover Selection
Meter: 7s & 6s D
Hesperian Harp: Page 298
Song in the Night: Page 88