Onward, Christian Soldiers - Sabine Baring-Gould & Arthur S. Sullivan

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 7 September 2007, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

1. GO-AHEAD CHRISTIAN SOLDIER, MARCH IDEA-LIKE GO WAR.
JESUS HIS-lf CROSS LEAD US RIGHT WAY.
CHRIST OUR KING AND MASTER, LEAD AGAINST OLD ENEMY.
COME-ON ENTER FIGHT; SEE HIS-lf FLAG flag-WAVE.

Refrain: GO-AHEAD CHRISTIAN SOLDIER, MARCH IDEA-LIKE GO WAR.
JESUS HIS-lf CROSS LEAD US RIGHT WAY.

2. GOD HIS-rt CHURCH MOVE IDEA~LIKE ARMY MIGHTY.
BROTHERS SISTERS WE TRAVEL SAME LIKE SAINTS BEFORE.
WE DISAGREE+ NOT; #ALL-OF-US COOPERATE.
HOPE AND BELIEVE SAME'circle' #ALL-OF-US HAVE C-H-A-R-I-T-Y.

3. CROWN AND THRONE MAY DISAPPEAR, KINGDOM FORM, DISBAND,
BUT JESUS CHRIST HIS-lf CHURCH CONTINUE.
HELL ITS-ctr GATE NEVER JESUS CHURCH CONQUER.
WE HAVE CHRIST HIS-lf PROMISE THAT FAIL CAN'T.

4. GO-AHEAD (2h)YOU FAITH HAVE, JOIN OUR HAPPY GROUP.
YOUR"all" alt.VOICE BLEND. SING DECLARE WE WIN.
GLORY, PRAISE AND HONOR OFFER-TO CHRIST THE-lf KING.
(2h)LONG-AGO UP-TO-NOW PEOPLE AND ANGEL SING "WHAT"?


Notes: GO-AHEAD - (2h)[B^ dot], POs ><, FOs away, move forward in a jerk.

IDEA-LIKE - A blending where IDEA has a [Y] instead of an [I] in anticipation of LIKE which is signed smoothly right afterwards.

CROSS - [C], PO away, FO up, traces cross by moving down, then across.

COME-ON - (2h)[B^] move in circles pivoting at the wrists to beckon someone to do something.

flag-WAVE - Mime holding a flagpole and waving it in a figure-eight.

MIGHTY - (2h)[S], POs > back of signer, FOs up, are held at NDS and fists descend, then repeat at DS.

SAINTS - [S], PO down, FO away, moves twice > DS across palm of [B], PO up, FO > DS.

#ALL-OF-US - [A], PO > NDS, FO up touches DS shoulder then [L^], PO > signer touches NDS shoulder.

SAME'circle' - (2h)[Y], POs down, FOs away, circle horizontally. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - standard.

CROWN - (2h)[L:] (like BIG) place crown on head with small double movement.

THRONE - SIT + (2h)[B:], POs down, FOs away, behave as if they were on the arms of a throne.

KINGDOM - KING + [5], PO down, FO away, circles horizontally. For an animated gif of this sign, see Valley Bible Church - ASL dictionary: Kingdom.

FORM - (2h)[5:], POs ><, interlace fingers and then bring knuckles upwards.

DISBAND - (2h)[5:], POs ><, interlace fingers and then bring knuckles downwardswards.

(2h)YOU - Underlined words are honorific indices ("indexes"), using the FT of the upturned palm to indicate who is being honored.

BLEND - (2h)[5:], POs > signer, are interlaced and FTs move down like a gear.

GLORY - (2h)[5], POs><, FOs away from signer, DH which is on top wiggles fingers while ascending. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Glory.

Lyrics:

1. Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus Going on before.
Christ, the royal master, Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle See his banners go!

Refrain: Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus Going on before.

2. Like a might army Moves the Church of God;
Brothers, we are treading Where the saints have trod.
We are not divided, All one body we,
One in hope and doctrine, One in charity.

3. Crowns and thrones may perish, Kingdoms rise and wane,
But the Church of Jesus Constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never 'Gainst that Church prevail;
We have Christ's own promise, And that cannot fail.

4. Onward, then, ye faithful, Join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices In the triumph song;
Glory, laud, and honor Unto Christ, the king;
This through countless ages Men and angels sing.

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear a musical setting of these lyrics (without words), go to Onward, Christian Soldiers.

To see another translation of this hymn performed, go to Onward, Christian Soldierssigning hands

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