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Robert Lowry (1826-1899) was a Baptist pastor, educator, hymn writer, and hymnal editor. The son of an Irish immigrant, Robert was born in Philadelphia and born again at age 17. At that time he left the Presbyterian church of his youth and joined the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia. He taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, and studied for the ministry under Pastor George Ide. He was ordained in 1854 at age 28, and from then until his death he pastored Baptist churches in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. His preaching was said to be “spellbinding” (Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music).
From 1868, while continuing his pastorates, he was the hymnals editor to Biglow Main, the leading publisher of gospel music (including those of Fanny Crosby and Ira Sankey) and produced 20 hymnals. Taking his new responsibility seriously, he began a formal study of music, obtaining “the best musical text-books and works on the highest forms of musical composition” (Harry Burrage, Baptist Hymn Writers and Their Hymns, 1888).
He described his method of composition as follows, “My brain is a sort of spinning machine, I think, for there is music running through it all the time. I do not pick out my music on the keys of an instrument. The tunes of nearly all the hymns I have written have been completed on paper before I tried them on the organ. Frequently the words of the hymn and the music have been written at the same time” (Jacob Hall, Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers, 1914).
He “composed the music, and sometimes the music and text, of more than 500 hymns.” His most popular hymns include “Christ Arose,” “Come, Ye That Love the Lord,” “How Can I Keep from Singing,” “I Need Thee Every Hour,” “Low in the Grave He Lay, Jesus, my Savior,” “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus,” “Shall We Gather At the River,” “Savior, Thy Dying Love,” and “What Can Wash Away My Sin?”
Of “Shall We Gather at the River,” he said, “It is brass band music, has a march movement, and for that reason has become popular, though for myself I do not think much of it” (Hall, Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers). We agree. The message is extremely shallow and of small benefit for building up the saints in the faith.
Lowry wrote the tune to Isaac Watts’ hymn “Marching to Zion” and to Annie Hawks’ hymn “I Need Thee Every Hour.” He wrote the tunes to several of Fanny Crosby’s poems, including “All the Way My Saviour Leads Me.”
“Watch, for the Time Is Short,” 1867
Robert Lowry
1 Watch, for the time is short;
Watch while 'tis called today;
Watch lest the world prevail;
Watch, Christian, watch and pray;
Watch, for the flesh is weak;
Watch, for the foe is strong;
Watch lest the Bridegroom come;
Watch, tho' he tarry long.
Chorus:
O watch and pray,
O watch and pray;
O watch is the darkness, and watch in the day;
Christian, watch and pray.
2 Chase slumber from thine eyes,
Chase doubting from thy breast;
Thine is the promis'd prize
Of heaven's eternal rest;
Watch, Christian, watch and pray;
Thy Saviour watched for thee
Till from his brow there poured
Great drops of agony. [Chorus]
3 Take Jesus for thy trust;
Watch while the foe is near;
Gird well the armor on;
Watch till thy Lord appear.
Now when thy sun is up,
Make thou no more delay,
In this accepted time
Watch, Christian, watch and pray. [Chorus]
Music Score
https://hymnary.org/hymn/LLS31918/page/58
https://hymnary.org/media/fetch/215429
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