Words: , cir­ca 1860; this hymn was writ­ten for the first grad­u­a­tion cer­e­mo­ny at the South­ern Sem­in­a­ry.

Music: Men­don, Ger­man tune, ar­ranged by , Sup­plement of Sam­u­el Dy­er’s Third Edi­tion of Sac­red Mu­sic, 1828.


Soldiers of Christ, in truth arrayed,
A world in ruins needs your aid:
A world by sin destroyed and dead;
A world for which the Savior bled.

His Gospel to the lost proclaim,
Good news for all in Jesus’ Name;
Let light upon the darkness break
That sinners from their death may wake.

Morning and evening sow the seed,
God’s grace the effort shall succeed.
Seedtimes of tears have oft been found
With sheaves of joy and plenty crowned.

We meet to part, but part to meet
When earthly labors are complete,
To join in yet more blest employ,
In an eternal world of joy.