Holy Fortitude

Representative Text

1 Am I a soldier of the cross,
a foll'wer of the Lamb,
and shall I fear to own His cause,
or blush to speak His name?

2 Must I be carried to the skies
on flow'ry beds of ease,
while others fought to win the prize,
and sailed thro' bloody seas?

3 Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
to help me on to God?

4 Sure I must fight, if I would reign;
increase my courage, Lord!
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
supported by Thy word.

5 The saints in all this glorious war
shall conquer, though they die;
they see the triumph from afar
by faith's discerning eye.

6 When that illustrious day shall rise,
and all Thine armies shine
in robes of vict'ry thro' the skies,
the glory shall be Thine.

Source: Psalms and Hymns to the Living God #366

Author: Isaac Watts

Isaac Watts was the son of a schoolmaster, and was born in Southampton, July 17, 1674. He is said to have shown remarkable precocity in childhood, beginning the study of Latin, in his fourth year, and writing respectable verses at the age of seven. At the age of sixteen, he went to London to study in the Academy of the Rev. Thomas Rowe, an Independent minister. In 1698, he became assistant minister of the Independent Church, Berry St., London. In 1702, he became pastor. In 1712, he accepted an invitation to visit Sir Thomas Abney, at his residence of Abney Park, and at Sir Thomas' pressing request, made it his home for the remainder of his life. It was a residence most favourable for his health, and for the prosecution of his literary… Go to person page >

Notes

Am I a soldier of the Cross? I. Watts. [Holy Fortitude.] Appended to his Sermons, published in 1721-24, in 3 vols., vol. iii., and intended to accompany a sermon on 1 Cor. xvi. 13. It is in 6 stanzas of 4 lines, and entitled "Holy Fortitude." In Spurgeon's Our Own Hymn Book, No. 671, st. v. and vi. are omitted, but the rest are unaltered. Original full text in all editions of Watts's Works. In the New Congregational Hymn Book, No. 623, it is given in an abbreviated and slightly altered form as — "Are we the soldiers of the Cross?" This is also found in Snepp's Songs of Grace & Glory, 1872, and other collections. It dates as early as the Leeds Hymn Book, 1853. The American use of this hymn is extensive.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
================
Am I a soldier of the Cross? p. 55, ii. In some annotations of this hymn we have found it stated that it is a portion of "Do I believe what Jesus saith?" that the hymn in its full form appeared in Watts's Hymns & Sacred Songs, 1709; and that the portion beginning "Am I a soldier of the Cross?" subsequently appeared in his Sermons, 1721-24. The facts are (1) both hymns appeared in the Sermons, &c, 1721-24, “Do I believe, &c," for Ser. 30, and "Am I a soldier, &c." for Ser. 31; and (2) the two were united as one hymn, and included in the Hymns and Sacred Songs, Bk. i., No. 37, Pt. ii. sometime in the present century. We find it in T. Nelson's edition of Watts, 1844, and others, but in no edition before 1800.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

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Instances

Instances (1801 - 1900 of 1934)
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The Way of Life #107

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The Welcome Voice #88

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The Wesleyan Methodist Hymnal #402a

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The Wesleyan Methodist Hymnal #402b

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The Wesleyan Psalmist, or Songs of Canaan #14

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The Wesleyan Sacred Harp #59a

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The Wesleyan Sacred Harp #97

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The Wesleyan Sacred Harp #59a

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The Wesleyan Sacred Harp #97

The Western Harp #d10

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The Westminster Hymnal for congregational and social use and for the Sunday School #169

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The World Evangel #268

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The World Revival Songs and Hymns #117

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The Worshiping Church #668

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The Wreath of Gems #117

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The Y. M. Christian Association Hymn-Book, with Tunes. #33b

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The Y.M.C.A. Hymnal #262

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The Y.M.C.A. Praise Book #46

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The Young Christian's Companion #30

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The Young Christian's Companion. 2nd ed. #a30

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The Young People's Chorister #73

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The Young People's Hymnal No. 3 #250

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The Young People's Hymnal #206

The Zion Songster No. 2 #18

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The Zion Songster Nos. 1 and 2 Combined #Z18

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The Zion Songster #48

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The Zion Songster #48

Three Hundred Country Chapel Songs and Hymns #d9

Tidings of Glory #d6

Tidings of the Cross #d10

Times of Refreshing #d8

Times of Refreshing #d9

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Times of Refreshing #180

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Times of Refreshing #182

Times of Refreshing #d8

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Total Praise #484

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Total Praise #592

Treasured Hymns of the Radio Devotional League #d6

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Treasury of Song #352

Tribute of Praise #d8

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Tried and True #86

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Trinity Hymnal #481

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Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #573

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Trinity Psalter Hymnal #539

Triumphant Joy #d11

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Triumphant Praises #233

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Triumphant Songs No.1 #176

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Triumphant Songs No.2 #49

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Triumphant Songs No.2 #205

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Triumphant Songs No.2 #361

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Triumphant Songs No.3 #196

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Triumphant Songs No.4 #224

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Triumphant Songs No.5 #250

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Triumphant Songs Nos. 1 and 2 Combined #193

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Triumphant Songs Nos. 1 and 2 Combined #334

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Triumphant Songs Nos. 1 and 2 Combined #406

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Triumphant Songs Nos. 3 and 4 Combined #426

Trumpet Notes for the Temperance Battlefield #d11

Truth and Hope No. 2 #d7

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Twentieth (20th) Century Songs Part One #168

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Twenty-Four Memory Hymns and Their Stories #71

Two Hundred and Fifty-two Familiar Hymns #d8

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Unfading Treasures #244

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Union Harp and History of Songs #215

Union Hymns #d10

Union Hymns. Rev. #d17

Union Hymns. Rev. #d18

Union Prayer Meeting Hymns #d11

Union Prayer Meeting Hymns #d12

Universalist Hymn Book #d28

University Hymn Book for use in the Chapel of Harvard University #d11

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University Hymns #162

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University Hymns #281

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Uplifted Voices #90

Uplifting Songs, New and Old #d12

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Upper Room Hymns #7

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Vestry Chimes #105a

Vestry Songs #d5

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Victorious Revival Songs #95

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Victorious Service Songs #246

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Victorious Songs #18

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Victory Bells #24

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Victory Bells #91

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Victory Songs #296

Village Hymns #193

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Village hymns for social worship, selected and original #193

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Village hymns for social worship, selected and original #193

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Village Hymns for Social Worship, Selected and Original #193

Vineyard Songs #d6

Virginia Selection of Psalms #d10

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Voice of Praise #199

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Voices for Jesus #67

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Voices of Praise #213

Voices of the Soul #d6

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Voices of Victory #98

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Welcome Tidings #A27

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Westminster Sabbath School Hymnal, a collection of hymns and tunes for use in sabbath-schools and social meetings #54

White Robes for the Sunday School #d4

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Windows of Heaven #184

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