What Shall Our Answers Be?

Representative Text

1 When we in the judgment stand,
In that mighty company,
And the judge shall question us,
Oh, what shall our answers be?
What for ev’ry triffling tho’t,
And each idle word we say?
What for ev’ry sinful act
We may do from day to day.

Chorus:
When that awful day we see,
Oh, what shall our answers be?
When that awful day we see,
Oh, what shall our answers be?

2 When the Lord has gather'd there
From the land and from the sea,
All the families of men,
Oh, what shall our answers be?
What for all our want of faith,
What for all our lack of love.
Can we hope a crown to gain,
And a mansion bright above. [Chorus]

3 Lord, it is a solemn tho’t,
That we must account to Thee,
In that great and awful day,
What shall our poor answers be?
Oh, prepare us, Lord, we pray,
In the presence there to stand,
Purge us from each sinful blot,
Place us, Lord, on Thy right hand. [Chorus]

Source: The New Wonderful Songs for Work and Worship #77

Author: E. R. Latta

Rv Eden Reeder Latta USA 1839-1915. Born at Haw Patch, IN, the son of a Methodist minister, (also a boyhood friend of hymn writer Willam A Ogden) he became a school teacher. During the American Civil War he preached for the Manchester Methodist Church and other congregations (possibly as a circuit rider filling empty pulpits). In 1863 he married Mary Elizabeth Wright, and they had five children: Arthur, Robert, Jennie, two others. He taught for the public schools of Manchester, and later Colesburg, IA. He moved to Guttenberg, IA, in the 1890s, and continued writing song lyrics for several major gospel composers, including William Ogden, James McGranahan, James Fillmore, and Edmund Lorenz. He wrote 1600+ songs and hymns, many being wi… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: When we in the judgment stand
Title: What Shall Our Answers Be?
Author: E. R. Latta
Language: English
Refrain First Line: When that awful day we see
Copyright: Public Domain

Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #13151
  • PDF (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer Score (NWC)

Instances

Instances (1 - 2 of 2)

Clarion Call #139

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #13151

Include 69 pre-1979 instances
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us