A Scriptural Appeal 12s & 11s

The earliest known printing of the text is in Elisha Battle's A Collection of Hymns & Spiritual Songs for Public and Family Worship (Raleigh, NC, 1814).

Sung at the new compositions singing at the Pacific Northwest Convention in Portland, Oregon in October 2009. This recording from a home singing with Erik Schwab, Erika Wilson, and Greg Mulkern (who provided the recording) in December 2009.

All you that profess to be going to glory,
Be patient awhile, and to you I’ll relate:
Oft-times I have trod in the paths of transgression,
I hope you’ll not share in my unhappy fate.
But still my desires to God are a-flowing,
And sometimes my soul still his love is enjoying;
The highway to heaven I aim to be going,
To follow the Lamb to his glory above.

But, pray let me tell you, I’m somewhat unhappy,
Under some divisions that lately arose;
Instead of the watchmen being helpful together,
The one does the other’s endeavors oppose.
The scripture directs us to love one another,
For he who loves Jesus will sure love his brother;
The Christian that lives in discharge of his duty
Will ne’er hate the brother that’s trav’ling the road.

Here’s one that gets perfect, and then can’t fall from it,
The other he meets with an indwelling sin;
One preaches and holds to believers’ baptism,
The other denies it, and so they begin.
I grant that, in stewardship, men should be faithful
And no gospel righteousness should appear hateful;
He who follows Jesus must follow him careful,
Or never expect to enjoy him above.

Here’s one persevering, the other is perfect;
The one he goes on, and the other stands still;
And he that is perfect he can get no further,
And his Christian warfare is all at an end.
Saint Paul he exhorts us always to be moving,
For he that is standing will soon be back turning;
Come on, fellow trav’llers, honor the high calling,
And press for the glorious eternity.

But if you do hope that you’ll meet with perfection,
I pray you go on, that the prize you may win;
And don’t let the enemy fill you with notions
That you have got perfect before you begin.
For if John the Baptist was no gospel preacher,
I know that Saint Paul was a good and wise teacher;
And he who climbs over is only a traitor,
And ne’er shall be owned as a sheep in the fold.

I hope you don’t think that I speak as a boaster,
Nor yet as a scoffer your zeal to reprove;
I only desire to give God the glory
And credit religion that comes from above.
The pathway of unity leads to the Savior
And they that walk in it shall soon find his favor;
The scripture’s your guide, so press on, now, don’t weary,
The angels will meet you at Jordan’s cold stream.