October 30, 2005

Have faith in God –
Though all your fairest castles fall;
Have faith in God –
When evil seems to mark your call;
Have faith in God –
And Christ victorious over all.
Have faith, dear friend, in God.

Hold the Fort

Words and Music by Philip Paul Bliss, 1838-1876

    Only hold on to what you have until I come. Revelation 2:25.

    As was true of so many of Philip P. Bliss's gospel songs, this stirring hymn was inspired by an illustration used by Major Whittle, an officer in the American Civil War, while addressing a YMCA meeting on the text from Revelation 2:25. Major Whittle's illustration was about a small Northern force of soldiers in charge of guarding a great quantity of supplies. They were being hard pressed by greatly superior Confederate forces. Finally the Confederate general, General French, commanded the Federal troops to surrender. At that moment the troops saw a signal from their leader, General Sherman, on a hill some miles away. It said, "Hold the fort, I am coming. Sherman." The story so captivated Bliss's interest that he could not retire that evening until he had completed both the text and the music for this rousing gospel song. It later became a great favorite in the Moody-Sankey campaigns both in Great Britain and in the United States.
    We too have a Commander now in Heaven Who has promised to return for us. Victory is certain! Our responsibility is to faithfully "hold the fort" and to "occupy till He comes" (Luke 19:13).

Ho, my comrades! see the signal
Waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing,
Victory is nigh.

See the mighty host advancing,
Satan leading on;
Mighty ones around us falling,
Courage almost gone!

See the glorious banner waving!
Hear the trumpet blow!
In our Leader’s Name we triumph
Over ev’ry foe.

Fierce and long the battle rages,
But our help is near;
Onward comes our great Commander,
Cheer, my comrades, cheer!

Refrain:
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,”
Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven,
“By Thy grace we will.”

Have Faith in God by H.M.S. Richards, Used by Permission