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Am I a soldier of the cross?

Isaac Watts

Hymnary text authority (1908 instances)
Cyber Hymnal™ page
Cyber Hymnal™ page (Sankey version)
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BASIC WATTS HYMN --- "WEAR A CROWN" --- SANKEY VERSION

1 Am I a soldier of the cross?
  A follower of the Lamb?
  And shall I fear to own his cause?
  Or blush to speak his name?

2 Must I be carry'd to the skies
  On flowery beds of ease,
  While others fought to win the prize,
  And sail'd through 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 cross, endure the pain,
  Supported by thy word.

5 Thy saints, in all this glorious war,
  Shall conquer though they die;
  They see the triumph from afar,
  And seize it with their eye.

6 When that illustrious day shall rise,
  And all thy armies shine,
  In robes of vic'try through the skies,
  The glory shall be thine.    

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WEAR A CROWN version (attributed to William B. Blake)

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?

    Refrain:
      And when the battle's over we shall wear a crown!
      Yes, we shall wear a crown!
      Yes, we shall wear a crown!
      And when the battle's over we shall wear a crown
      In the new Jerusalem.
      Wear a crown, wear a crown,
      Wear a bright and shine crown,
      And when the battle's over we shall wear a crown
      In the new Jerusalem.
          
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? [Refrain]

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? [Refrain]

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. [Refrain]    
  
==========

A SOLDIER OF THE CROSS (Ira D. Sankey version with refrain):

1 Am I a soldier of the cross,
  A follower of the Lamb,
  And shall I fear to own His cause,
  Or blush to speak His name?
  
  Refrain
    In the name of Christ the King,
    Who hath purchased life for me,
    Thro’ grace I’ll win the promised crown,
    Whate’er my cross may be.

2 Must I be carried to the skies
  On flowery beds of ease,
  While others fought to win the prize,
  And sailed through bloody seas? [Refrain:]

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? [Refrain:]

4 Since I must fight if I would reign;
  Increase my courage, Lord.
  I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
  Supported by Thy Word. [Refrain:]

  

Tune:

ARLINGTON

MCANALLY

CHRISTMAS

JENIFER

ALWAYS NEAR

Versions with refrains:

WEAR A CROWN (arranged by William B. Blake)

A SOLDIER OF THE CROSS (tune and refrain by Ira Sankey)