Away from his home and the friends of his youth

1 Away from his home and the friends of his youth,
He hasted, the herald of mercy and truth,
For the love of the Lord, and to seek for the lost;
Soon, alas! was his fall—but he died at his post,
(Repeat previous line).

2 The stranger's eye wept, that in life's brightest bloom
One gifted so highly should sink to the tomb;
For in order he led in the van of the host,
And he fell like a soldier—he died at his post,
(Repeat previous line).

3 He wept not himself that his warfare was done;
The battle was fought, and the victory won:
But he whispered of those whom his heart clung to most,
"Tell my brethren, for me, that I died at my post,"
(Repeat previous line).

4 He asked not a stone to be sculptured with verse;
He asked not that fame should his merits rehearse;
But he asked, as a boon, when he gave up the ghost,
That his brethren might know that he died at his post,
(Repeat previous line).

5 Victorious his fall—for he rose as he fell
With Jesus, his Master, in glory to dwell;
He has passed o'er the stream, and has reached the bright coast,
For he fell like a martyr—he died at his post,
(Repeat previous line).

6 And can we the words of his exit forget?
Oh no! they are fresh in our memory yet:
And example so brilliant shall never be lost,
We will fall in the work—we will die at our post,
(Repeat previous line).

The Southern Harmony, 1835

• MIDI file from The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion (New ed. thoroughly rev. and much enl.) #196