One Sweetly Solemn Thought

One sweetly solemn thought (Cary)

Author: Phoebe Cary (1852)
Published in 691 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 One sweetly solemn thought
Comes to me o’er and o’er;
Nearer to my home today am I
Than e’er I’ve been before.

2 Nearer my Father’s house,
Where many mansions be;
Nearer, today, the great white throne,
Nearer the crystal sea.

3 Nearer the bound of life,
Where burdens are laid down;
Nearer to leave the heavy cross,
Nearer to gain the crown.

4 Father, perfect my trust!
Strengthen my power of faith!
Nor let me stand, at last, alone
Upon the shore of death.

AMEN.

Source: The A.M.E. Zion Hymnal: official hymnal of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church #558

Author: Phoebe Cary

Phoebe Cary, (1824-1871) was born and raised in Mount Healthy in Hamilton County, Ohio. Her family came from Lyme, New Hampshire to Ohio when her grandfather was given land in return for his service in the Continental Army. She was the younger sister of Alice Cary (1820-1871). She and Alice submitted poetry to religious periodicals. Phoebe remained in Ohio and continued to write many hymns, including, "One sweetly solemn thought." Mary Louise VanDyke… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: One sweetly solemn thought (Cary)
Title: One Sweetly Solemn Thought
Author: Phoebe Cary (1852)
Meter: 6.6.8.6
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

One sweetly solemn thought. Anticipation of Heaven. This piece was not intended for public use, nor is it a suitable metre for musical treatment, yet it has won universal acceptance and popularity. In some instances this has been attained by change of metre as in the Supplement to the Baptist Psalms & Hymns 1880, No. 1185. Johnson's Encyclopedia is in error in saying it was "written at the age of 17." The Congregational Quarterly for Oct., 1874, says, "it was written, she tells us, in the little back third story bedroom, one Sabbath morning in 1852, on her return from church." This statement shows that it was composed when she was 28, and not 17. The popularity of the hymn in Great Britain arose mainly through its use in the Evangelistic services of Messrs. Moody and Sankey. In the Protestant Episcopal Hymns for Church and Home, Phila., 1860, No. 383, it is given as "A sweetly solemn thought." [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.]

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Timeline

Instances

Instances (401 - 500 of 691)

Spiritual Songs, Being One Hyndred Hymns Not to be Found in the Hymn Books Commonly Used. New Am. from the Enl. English ed. #d60

Standard Church Hymns and Gospel Songs #d232

Sunday School Hymnal #d322

Sunday School Hymns of the Second Baptist Church ... Germantown #d68

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Sunday School Service Book and Hymnal #166

Sunday School Songs. 3rd ed. #d103

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Sunday-School Songs #116b

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Sursum Corda #744

Sweet Harmonies (A New Song Book) #d130

Temple Chimes #d200

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Temple Themes and Sacred Songs #t50

The A. M. E. Zion Hymnal #562

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The A.M.E. Zion Hymnal #558

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The Academic Hymnal #39a

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The Academic Hymnal #39b

The Advent Christian Hymnal #d658

The Advent Christian Hymnal #d330

The Advent Christian Hymnal. Rev. #d280

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The African Methodist Episcopal Hymn and Tune Book #705

The American Hymnal #d460

The American Hymnal for English Speaking People Everywhere #d266

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The American Sunday-School Hymn-Book #333

The Apostolic Christian Hymnal #d145

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The Army and Navy Hymnal #189

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The Assembly Hymn and Song Collection #78

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The Banner of Victory #148

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The Baptist Hymn and Tune Book for Public Worship #A21

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The Baptist Hymn and Tune Book for Public Worship #924

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The Baptist Hymn and Tune Book, for Public Worship #346.924

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The Baptist Hymn and Tune Book, for Public Worship #373b

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The Baptist Hymn Book #924

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The Baptist Hymnal, for Use in the Church and Home #636

The Baptist Hymnal #636

The Baptist Hymnal. Shaped notes ed. #d457

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The Baptist Praise Book #1095

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The Baptist Praise Book #1096

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The Baptist Standard Hymnal #582

The Best Hymns of America #d43

The Best Loved Hymns and Prayers of the American People #195

The Book of Common Praise #d461

The Book of Common Praise #666

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The Book of Common Praise #680

The Book of Praise #615

The Book of Praise #d615

The Book of Worship #d410

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The Book of Worship #510

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The Brethren Hymnal #566

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The Brethren Hymnody #234

The Brethren's Sunday School Song Book #d110

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The Broadman Hymnal #183

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The Calvary Selection of Spiritual Songs #488a

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The Calvary Selection of Spiritual Songs #488b

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The Canadian Baptist Hymn Book #684

The Canadian Baptist Hymnal for the use of Churches and Families #d492

The Centennial Hymnal #d308

The Chapel Hymn Book #d304

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The Chapel hymn book, with tunes #749

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The Chapel Hymnal #342

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The Chapel Hymnal #342

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The Chapel Hymnal #113

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The Chapel Hymnal #113

The Chapel Hymnal. 3rd ed. #d95

The Chapel Service Book #d117

The Choralist #d279

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The Christian Hymn Book #1195

The Christian Hymnal #d526

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The Christian Hymnal #789

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The Christian hymnal #445

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The Christian Hymnal #419

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The Christian Hymnal #C147

The Christian Hymnary. Bks. 1-4 #554

The Christian Hymnist #d422

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The Church and Home Hymnal #260

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The Church and Home Hymnal #261

The Church and School #d161

The Church Hymn Book #d427

The Church Hymnal #d332

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The Church Hymnal #559

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The Church Hymnal #676a

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The Church Hymnal #676b

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The Church Hymnal #676a

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The Church Hymnal #676b

The Church Hymnal #d328

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The Church Hymnal #352

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The Church Hymnary #304

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The Church Hymnary #935

The Church of God Selection of Spiritual Songs for the Church and Choir #d706

The Church-Book #d352

The Churches of God Hymnal. #d425

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The Cokesbury Hymnal #44

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The Cokesbury Worship Hymnal #160

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The College Hymnal #475

The Concordia Hymnal #d296

The Concordia Hymnal. Rev. #d297

The Confederate Sunday School Hymn Book #d92

The Congregation #d116

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The Congregational Mission Hymnal #293

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The Coronation Hymnal #399

The Covenant Hymnal, authorized by the Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant of America #d285

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #5235

Pages

Exclude 684 pre-1979 instances
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