Have You Not Heard of Our Saviour's Love?

For Christmas

Words and Music: Unknown

Sung by Mr. William Phillips and Family,
At Leigh, Worcestershire, January 11th, 1899.
Tune noted by Miss Norbury.

Compare: Have You Not Heard (Pickard-Cambridge, with sheet music)
Have You Not Heard of Our Saviour's Love? (A Choice Collection of Christmas Carols, circa 1775)

Source: The Journal of the Folk Song Society, Vol. 2, p. 135.

Have you not heard of Our Saviour's love?
And how he suffered like a harmless dove,
But if we in our wickedness remain,
Christ will not shed his blood for us again.

If you were going to be put to death,
It would be hard to find a friend on earth
Who would lay down his life to set you free.
Yet Christ with patience shed His blood for me.

Consider what our Lord did undergo.
For to preserve us from the gulf of woe ;
Repent in time, your wickedness remain,
Christ will not shed His blood for us again.

To love each other, as we ought to do.
Is God's command, although it's kept by few ;
For little love can in this world be found.
Nothing but spite and malice doth abound.

There is a thing which Scripture plainly shows :
To pray for them which are our greatest foes ;
And if you ever wish to enter heaven.
You must forgive as you would be forgiven.

'Tis very apt in some to curse and swear.
But let us now persuade you to forbear,
And do no more abuse the name of God,
Lest He should smite you with His heavy rod.

The sin of drunkenness leave off in time.
For that's another sad, notorious crime.
Lead sober lives, and lay that sin aside ;
Nay, likewise too, that odious sin of pride.

Some make their riches as their god, I know.
And on the poor they nothing will bestow.
'Tis good to help the poor in their distress,
Relieve the widow and the fatherless.

Attend thy church, the Sabbath don't neglect
All* work by Scriptures well thy path direct.
And ever let it be thy constant care
To serve the Lord by daily fervent prayer.

Some do by gaining lose their whole estate,
And then are sorry, when it is too late.
'Tis better to live in darkness here on earth,
Than lose the light of heaven after death.

Now, one thing more I to you wish to say :
Your tender parents honour and obey.
'Tis they took care to bring you up, indeed.
You ought to help them in their time of need.

So now I will conclude, and make an end,
f For these few lines which are sincerely penned ;
Now buy the book, the price is very small ;
God grant it may be for the good of all.

From the Journal of the Folk Song Society, Vol. 2, p. 135:

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