"Take Time to Be Holy"

William D. Longstaff (1822-1894) was a longtime friend of William Booth, founder of the Salvation wrote the words to “Take Time to Be Holy.” Born in Durham, England, Longstaff Army, as well as American evangelists Dwight L. Moody and Ira Sankey. Many of his hymns have been published in War Cry, the Salvation Army’s hymnal of the 1880’s as Salvation Army songs.

George C. Stebbins (1846-1945) wrote the melody, called “Holiness,” that is used for theSalvation Army song, “Take Time to be Holy.” Stebbins was a voice teacher, having studied in both Buffalo and Rochester, NY. When he moved to Chicago in 1869, he was a music director of First Baptist Church, Chicago, as well as, part of the Lyon and Healy Music Company. He also met Ira Sankey and many others involved in evangelism while living there. But it wasn’t until he moved to Boston to be a music director of two different churches that he met Dwight L. Moody and became a member of the evangelism campaign. His evangelism took him out of the country to places like India.

“Take Time to Be Holy”

Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;

Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.

Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,

Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;

Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.

By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;

Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;

And run not before Him, whatever betide.

In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,

And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.

Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,

Each thought and each motive beneath His control.

Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,

Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.

“Take Time to Be Holy” is typical of the kinds of songs that the Salvation Army would sing. The words are easily remembered and the melody would be easy to march to.

“Take Time to Be Holy”

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