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Will Your Anchor Hold
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Wikipedia article
'"Will Your Anchor Hold"' (sometimes titled "We Have an Anchor") is a Christian hymn, written in 1882 by Priscilla Jane Owens in the United States.
History
Priscilla Owens (18291907) was a Sunday school teacher at the Union Square Methodist Episcopal Church in Baltimore, Maryland. She wrote a number of hymns and songs for her pupils; this is the best known today.[http://cyberhymnal.org/bio/o/w/owens_pj.htm NetHymnal - Priscilla Jane Owens 18291907] The music was written by William J. Kirkpatrick (18381921) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the same Christian denomination, Methodist Episcopal Church as Owens, and was a prolific writer of hymn tunes and compiler of hymn collections.[http://cyberhymnal.org/bio/k/i/r/kirkpatrick_wj.htm NetHymnal - William James Kirkpatrick 18381921] The hymn has always been closely associated with the Boys' Brigade founded by Sir William Alexander Smith, which has the motto, "Sure and Stedfast".[http://dynamicposting.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/the-boys-brigade.html Dynamic Posting - The Boys' Brigade] It is the official hymn of Dollar Academy, an independent day and boarding school in Scotland, where it is known as the "Dollar Anthem".[http://openbuildings.com/buildings/dollargacademy-profile-28502 OpenBuildings - Dollar Academy]
Words
The words were inspired by the Epistle to the Hebrews, Chapter 6, Verse 19; "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast...", although other Biblical texts are also referenced in the verses of the hymn.[http://homeschoolblogger.com/hymnstudies/623480/ HomeschoolBlogger - Hymn Studies - "We Have an Anchor"]
'First of five verses:'
:Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
:When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
:When the strong tides lift and the cables strain,
:Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?
'Refrain:'
:We have an anchor that keeps the soul
:Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
:Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
:Grounded firm and deep in the Saviors love.
References
Category:1882 songs
Category:American Christian hymns
Category:Protestant hymns
Category:19th-century hymns
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