Thus various opinions exist about the modem usefulness of this text. Its martial imagery, though drawn from biblical texts such as Ephesians 6:10-18, has often been misinterpreted as militaristic.
And "Onward, Christian Soldiers" is clearly a nineteenth-century text that reveals some of the British triumphalism of that era. It is also a children's hymn the line in stanza 2 “We are not divided all one body we” initially referred simply to the children from the several villages (the hymn obviously does not provide a realistic analysis of church unity on a larger scale). His stanzas 1, 3, 5-6 are included with small alterations.Īs indicated in the refrain, "Onward, Christian Soldiers" is a processional hymn with a cross as the head of the procession (see also 373). I am certain that nothing surprised me more than its popularity.Įntitled "Hymn for Procession with Cross and Banners," the text was published in The Church Times (Oct.
"Onward, Christian Soldiers" was the result. I wanted the children to sing when marching from one village to another, but couldn't think of anything quite suitable, so I sat up at night and resolved to write something myself. Baring-Gould said the following about his writing of the text:įor a Whitsuntide procession it was arranged that our school should join forces with that of a neighboring village. Lew Trenchard, England, 1924), curate of a mission church at Horbury Bridge, Yorkshire, England, wrote this text in 1864 for a children's Pentecost Sunday procession.
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