Melodious Sonnets ‎#104

104. Bear a Hand

1 Is that a cry from a storm-tossed bark,
A voice from the angry waves?
‘Tis a voice from the floods of ruin dark,
Where intemperance fiercely raves,
Where intemperance fiercely raves.

Refrain:
Bear a hand, bear a hand,
With courage ev’ry man,
Where the breakers wildly roll;
By the grace of God we’ll do all we can
To rescue that perishing soul.

2 Some mother’s once-beloved child
Now is pleading with earnest breath,
Adrift in the tempest of error wild,
Sweeping out on that sea of death,
Sweeping out on that sea of death. [Refrain]

3 See careless souls on the dreadful brink
Of that gulf of unnumbered graves,
Oh, hold them back, lest they reel and sink
‘Neath the merciless, yawning waves,
‘Neath the merciless, yawning waves. [Refrain]

4 Our pitying Saviour walks the sea,
Where no life-boat could dare the tide
And back at his voice will the billows flee,—
To the rescue he will guide,
To the rescue he will guide. [Refrain]

Text Information

• First Line: Is that a cry from a storm-tossed bark
• Title: Bear a Hand
• Author: P. J. Owens
• Refrain First Line: Bear a hand, bear a hand
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1885

Tune Information

• Name: [Is that a cry from a storm-tossed bark]
• Composer: Wm. J. Kirkpatrick