William D Longstaff – birth, Nov. 26, 1822

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.

William D (Dunn) Longstaff was born this date, 11/26/1822 at Sunderland, Durham, England.  He was a philanthropist and friends with the founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth, with Dwight L Moody, and Ira D Sankey. Longstaff is remembered now for his hymn, “Take Time to Be Holy” but wrote a number of other hymns which appeared in the Salvation Army’s paper, The War Cry, in the 1880’s.  He died 4/2/1894 at Cambridge Terrace, Sunderland, Durham, England.

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William D Longstaff – death, Apr. 2, 1894

“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.

  

William D (Dunn) Longstaff died (4/2/1894) at Cambridge Terrace, Durham, England.  He was a friend of Dwight L Moody and Ira D Sankey.  He was also was friends with William Booth (founded Salvation Army) and some of his hymns seem to have been published in the Army’s War Cry.

  
Longstaff, who was born 11/26/1822, at Durham, England was the treasurer of the Bethesda Free Chapel in Sunderland.

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