Onward, Onward, Men of Heaven

Onward

on­ward

men of Heav­en!

Bear the Gos­pel’s ban­ner high;

Rest not

till its light is giv­en

Star of ev­ery pa­gan sky

Send it where the pil­grim strang­er

Faints be­neath the tor­rid ray;

Bid the red browed fo­rest rang­er

Hail it

ere he fades away.

Where the Arc­tic ocean thun­ders

Where the tro­pics fierce­ly glow

Broadly spread its page of won­ders

Brightly bid its ra­di­ance flow.

India marks its lus­ter steal­ing;

Shivering Green­land loves its rays;

Afric

’mid her de­serts kneel­ing

Lifts the un­taught strain of praise.

Rude in speech

or grim in fea­ture

Dark in spir­it

though they be

Show that light to ev­ery crea­ture—

Prince or vas­sal

bond or free.

Lo! they haste to ev­ery na­tion

Host on host the ranks sup­ply;

Onward! Christ is your sal­va­tion

And your death is vic­to­ry.