Away the Bowl!

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Cold water is the cup that cheers

Author: F. E. Belden
Tune: [Our youthful hearts for temperance burn]
Published in 6 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Cold water is the cup that cheers;
Away, away the bowl!
Old Alcohol is king of tears;
Away, away the bowl!
Goodbye to rum and all its harms,
Farewell the winecup's dread alarms,
Cold water hath far sweeter charms;
Away, away the bowl!

2 See how the stagg'ring drunkard reels;
Away, away the bowl!
What shame and mis'ry he reveals!
Away, away the bowl!
His hungry children cry for bread,
And from their cold, damp cellar bed,
They watch for his return with dread;
Away, away the bowl!

3 No alcohol we'll buy or sell;
Away, away the bowl!
We hate it now and ever shall;
Away, away the bowl!
United in a temp'rance band,
We're join'd in heart, we're join'd in hand,
To drive the demon from our land;
Away, away the bowl!

Source: Christ in Song: for all religious services nearly one thousand best gospel hymns, new and old with responsive scripture readings (Rev. and Enl.) #585

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Author: F. E. Belden

Belden was born in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1858. He began writing music in his late teenage years after moving to California with his family. For health reasons he later moved to Colorado. He returned to Battle Creek with his wife in the early 1880s, and there he became involved in Adventist Church publishing. F. E. Belden wrote many hymn tunes, gospel songs, and related texts in the early years of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Belden was able to rapidly write both music and poetry together which enabled him to write a song to fit a sermon while it was still being delivered. He also wrote songs for evangelist Billy Sunday. Though Belden’s later years were marred by misunderstandings with the church leadership over his royal… Go to person page >

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