Farewell my friends in bonds of love

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General information

This is a camp-meeting and revivalist hymn of uncertain authorship, "variously credited to John Blain, 1818, and to Clement Nance" (Steel and Hulan 2010). There are several different versions, differing in the words of the first line.

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Text and translations

English.png English text

Davis, Original and Select Hymns, Boston, 1820

1. Farewell my friends in bonds of love,
Whose hearts in sweetest union prove,
Your friendship's like a drawing band,
Yet we must take the parting hand.

2. Your company's sweet, your union's dear,
Your words delightful to my ear;
And when I see that we must part,
You draw like cords about my heart.

3. How sweet the hours have passed away,
When we have met to sing and pray;
How loath we've been to leave the place,
Where Jesus shows his smiling face.

4. O could I stay with friends so kind,
How would it cheer my struggling mind;
But duty makes me understand,
That we must take the parting hand.

5. But since it is God's holy will
We must be parted for awhile,
In sweet submission all as one,
We'll say our Father's will be done.

6. Dear fellow youth in Christian ties,
Who seek for mansions in the skies,
Fight on, you'll gain that happy shore,
Where parting hands will be no more.

7. How oft I've seen your flowing tears,
And heard you tell your hopes and fears;
Your hearts with love have seem'd to flame,
Which makes me hope we'll meet again.

8. Ye mourning souls in sad surprise,
Jesus remembers all your cries;
trust his grace, and in that land
We'll no more take the parting hand.

9. Dear Christian friends, both old and young,
I hope in Christ you'll all be strong;
And if on earth we meet no more,
O may we meet on Canaan's shore.

10. I hope you'll all remember me,
If here my face no more you see:
An interest in your prayers I crave,
That we may meet beyond the grave.

11. O glorious day and blessed hope,
My heart leaps forward at the thought,
When in that happy, happy land,
We'll no more take the parting hand.

12. But with our blessed loving Lord,
We'll shout and sing with one accord;
And then with Jesus we shall dwell,
So, loving brethren, all farewell.

 

Camp-Meeting Chorister, Philadelphia, 1830

1. My dearest friends in bonds of love,
Whose hearts the sweetest union prove;
Your friendship's like a drawing band,
Yet we must take the parting hand.

2. Your company's sweet, your union dear,
Your words delightful to my ear;
And when I find that we must part,
They draw like cords around my heart.

3. How sweet the hours have passed away,
Since we did meet to sing and pray;
How loath we've, been to leave the place,
Where Jesus showed his smiling face.

4. O could I stay with friends so kind!
How it would cheer my wounded mind:
But duty makes me understand,
That we must take the parting hand.

5. How oft we've seen your flowing tears,
And heard you tell your hopes and fears;
Your hearts with love have seemed to flame,
Which makes me hope we'll meet again.

6. Ye mourning souls in sad surprise,
He remembers all your cries;
Trust his grace, and in that land
We'll no more take the parting hand.

7. Dear fellow youth in Christian ties,
Who seek for mansions in the skies
Fight on! you'll gain that happy shore
Where parting hands will he no more.

8. But since it is God's holy will,
We must be parted for a while;
In sweet communion, all in one,
We'll say "Our Father's will be done."

9. My Christian friends, both old and young,
I hope in Christ you'll all be strong;
And if on earth we meet no more,
I hope we'll meet on Canaan's shore.

10, I hope you'll all remember me,
If here my face no more you see;
An interest in your prayers I crave,
That we may meet beyond the grave.

11. O glorious day, O blessed hope!
My heart leaps forward at the thought,
When in that happy, happy land,
We'll no more take the parting hand.

12. But with our holy, blessed Lord,
We'll shout and sing with one accord;
And there we'll all with Jesus dwell:
So loving friends all, fare you well!

 

The Christian Psalmist, New York, 1833

1. My dearest friends in bonds of love,
Whose hearts in sweetest union move;
Your friendship's like a drawing band;
Yet we must take the parting hand.

Your company sweet, your union dear,
Your words delightful to mine ear,
And when I see that we must part,
You draw like cords around my heart.

2. How sweet the hours have passed away,
Since we have met to sing and pray;
How loath we've been to leave the place,
Where Jesus shows his smiling face.

O could I stay with friends so kind;
How would it cheer my drooping mind; .
But duty makes me understand
That we must take the parting hand.

3. Then since it is God's holy will,
We must be parted for a while,
In sweet submission all as one,
We'll say our Father's will be done.

How oft I've seen your flowing tears,
And heard you tell your hopes and fears,
Your hearts with love have seemed to flame,
Which makes me hope we'll meet again.

4. I hope you'll all remember me,
If you no more on earth I see;
An interest in your prayers I crave,
That we may meet beyond the grave.

O glorious day, O blessed hope
My heart leaps forward at the thought,
When in that happy, happy land,
We'll no more take the parting hand.

 

Dossey's Choice, Philadephia, 1833

1. My Christian friends in bonds of love,
Whose hearts in sweetest union prove;
Your friendship 's like a drawing band,
Yet we must take the parting hand.

2. Your company's sweet, your union dear,
Your words delightful to mine ear.
Yet when I see that we must part.
You draw like cords around my heart.

3. How sweet the hours have passed away.
Since we have met to sing and pray.
How loath are we to leave the place.
Where Jesus shows his smiling face!

4. O, could I stay with friends so kind,
How would it cheer my drooping mind!
But duty makes me understand,
That we must take the parting hand.

5. And since it is God's holy will
We must be parted for a while,
In sweet submission, all as one,
We "May our Father's will be done."

6. My youthful friends in Christian ties,
Who seek for mansions in the skies,
Fight on, we'll gain that happy shore,
Where parting will be known no more.

7. How oft I've seen your flowing tears,
And heard you tell your hopes and fears!
Your hearts with love were seen to flame,
Which makes me hope we'll meet again.

8. Ye mourning souls, lift up your eyes
To glorious mansions in the skies;
O, trust his grace: in Canaan's land
We'll no more take the parting hand.

9. And now, my friends, both old and young,
I hope in Christ you 'll still go on,
And if on earth we meet no more,
O may we meet on Canaan's shore.

10. I hope you'll all remember me.
If you on earth no more I see,
An interest in your prayers I crave,
That we may meet beyond the grave.

11. O, glorious day! O, blessed hope!
My soul leaps forward at the thought,
When on that happy, happy land,
We'll no more take the parting hand.

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