1
How shall I follow Him I serve?
How shall I copy Him I love?
Nor from those blessed footsteps swerve,
Which lead me to His seat above?
How shall I copy Him I love?
Nor from those blessed footsteps swerve,
Which lead me to His seat above?
2
Privations, sorrows, bitter scorn,
The life of toil, the mean abode,
The faithless kiss, the crown of thorn—
Are these the consecrated road?
The life of toil, the mean abode,
The faithless kiss, the crown of thorn—
Are these the consecrated road?
3
Lord, should my path through suff’ring lie,
Forbid it I should e’er repine;
Still let me turn to Calvary,
Nor heed my griefs, rememb’ring Thine.
Forbid it I should e’er repine;
Still let me turn to Calvary,
Nor heed my griefs, rememb’ring Thine.
4
O let me think how Thou didst leave
Untasted every pure delight,
To fast, to faint, to watch, to grieve,
The toilsome day, the homeless night:
Untasted every pure delight,
To fast, to faint, to watch, to grieve,
The toilsome day, the homeless night:
5
To faint, to grieve, to die for me!
Thou camest, not Thyself to please;
And, dear as earthly comforts be,
Shall I not love Thee more than these?
Thou camest, not Thyself to please;
And, dear as earthly comforts be,
Shall I not love Thee more than these?
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Detroit, MI, United States
When Josiah Conder left school in 1802 at the age of 13, he didn't leave the world of books. His father was a bookseller in London, and young Conder joined his father's business. At 25 he became publisher of a magazine and later the editor of a newspaper. An evangelical, he frequently opposed the action of the established church, and faced determined opposition. He said his best hymns were written in times of trial or change.
When Conder lay dying at the age of 66, he asked to have his poems read. The last stanza of one of them, which he asked to have read 3 times, is
"Beset with fears and cares,
in Him my heart is strong.
All things in life and death are theirs,
who to the Lord belong."
One of his children said after the 3rd reading, "Now you can sleep on that." "Oh yes," responded Josiah, "and die upon it." - Great Songs of Faith by Brown & Norton
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There are 2 additional stanzas in the original, which are usually omitted.
Original stanza 3 between 2 and 3 above:
’Twas thus He suffered, though a Son,
Foreknowing, choosing, feeling all,
Until the perfect work was done,
And drunk the bitter cup of gall.
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The original last stanza, following the last stanza above:
Yes, I would count them all but loss,
To gain the notice of Thine eye:
Flesh shrinks and trembles at the cross,
But Thou canst give the victory.