I Cannot Think of Them as Dead

Representative Text

1 I cannot think of them as dead,
who walk with me no more;
along the path of life I tread
they are but gone before,
they are but gone before.

2 And still their silent ministry
within my heart hath place,
as when on earth they walked with me,
and met me face to face,
and met me face to face.

3 Their lives are made forever mine;
what they to have been
has left henceforth its seal and sign
engraven deep within,
engraven deep within.

4 Mine are they by an ownership
nor time nor death can free;
for God hath given to love to keep
its own eternally,
its own eternally.

Source: Chalice Hymnal #645

Author: Frederick Lucian Hosmer

Hosmer, Frederick Lucian, B.A., was born at Framingham, Mass., in 1840, and educated at Harvard, where he graduated B.A. in 1869. Entering the Unitarian Ministry in 1872 he has held charges in Quincy, Ill., 1872-77; Cleveland, Ohio, 1878-92; St. Louis, 1894-99; and since 1899, at Berkeley, Cal. His Way of Life, 1877, was a compilation of Prayers and Responsive Services for Sunday Schools. Of Unity Hymns and Carols, 1880, he was joint editor with W. C. Gannett and J. V. Blake. His hymns were published jointly by him and W. C. Gannett (q.v.), as The Thought of God in Hymns and Poems (Boston: Little, Brown & Co.), 1st Series, 1885; 2nd Series, 1894. Of his 56 hymns in this work the following have come into common use, for the most part during… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: I cannot think of them as dead
Title: I Cannot Think of Them as Dead
Author: Frederick Lucian Hosmer
Meter: 8.6.8.6
Source: First published in The Thought of God, first series, 1885
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Timeline

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The Cyber Hymnal #7153
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Instances (1 - 3 of 3)
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Singing the Living Tradition #96

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Chalice Hymnal #645

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The Cyber Hymnal #7153

Include 29 pre-1979 instances
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