1 Behold how sweet, how calm, how fair,
The broken bud that slumbers there!
E'er it had bloomed on earth, to die,
It died on earth to bloom on high.
2 Weep not as those who weep in vain,
Nor like the hopeless ones complain;
Our frosted buds, our withered flowers,
Shall spring again in fairer bowers.
3 O blessed hope to mourners given
The hope of union sweet in heaven!
No more to part, no more to weep,
No more to sleep death's silent sleep.
4 Then let this hope our spirits cheer:
The promised morn will soon appear,
The morn that sets the prisoners free,
The morning of eternity.
Source: The Seventh-Day Adventist Hymn and Tune Book: for use in divine worship #918
Belden was born in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1858. He began writing music in his late teenage years after moving to California with his family. For health reasons he later moved to Colorado. He returned to Battle Creek with his wife in the early 1880s, and there he became involved in Adventist Church publishing. F. E. Belden wrote many hymn tunes, gospel songs, and related texts in the early years of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Belden was able to rapidly write both music and poetry together which enabled him to write a song to fit a sermon while it was still being delivered. He also wrote songs for evangelist Billy Sunday. Though Belden’s later years were marred by misunderstandings with the church leadership over his royal… Go to person page >
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