Building Every Day

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We are building every day, at our work and at our play

Author: F. E. Belden
Tune: [We are building every day] (Belden)
Published in 9 hymnals

Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 We are building ev’ry day,
At our work and at our play;
Not with hammer, blow on blow,
Not the timber sawing so;
Building a house not made with hands,
Following Father’s perfect plans;
Little builders all are we,
Building for eternity.

2 We are building ev’ry day,
Actions are the stones we lay;
Jesus our Foundation sure,
Built on Him we are secure.
Many a house has fallen low,
Built on the sands of sin and woe;
We will heed His word alone,
he’s the only Cornerstone.

3 We are building ev’ry day;
If we do not watch and pray,
Best of tools are all in vain,
Golden Rule, and line, and plane.
Measure by love each stone and brick,
Mixing the silver mortal quick;
Careful builders we must be,
All the world our house can see.

4 We are building ev’ry day;
Not with lime, and sand, and hay,
Not with wood, and nails, and screws;
Something better far we use,—
Tho’ts like the marble, pure and white,
Smiles like the diamond, clear and bright;
These the jewel stones we lay,
Safe when sin is burned away.

Source: Light and Life Songs: adapted especially to sunday schools, prayer meetings and other social services #147

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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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