And Must I Be To Judgment Brought?

Brown Collection of NC Folklore 

OTHER NAMES: Arlington CM

SOURCES: Brown Collection; Southern Harmony

NOTES: "And Must I Be To Judgment Brought?" was written by Charles Wesley in 1763. A version with a folk chorus added appeared in

613 And Must I Be To Judgment Brought?- Brown Collection of NC Folklore 

Jackson DESO -213-14 includes the whole song, attributing the text to Charles Wesley. He indicates that it was printed in Walker's Christian Harmony (1866), which was a popular hymn book in the South.

From Mrs. Maude M. Sutton, Lenoir; undated. One stanza with chorus in Dr. Darwin's hand, as taken from Mrs. Sutton.

And must I be to judgment brougbt.
And answer in that day.
For every idle deed and thought.
And every word I say?

Chorus: We are passing away, we are passing away,
We are passing away, to the great judgment day.

Here's the full song as it appears in Souther Harmony:

AND MUST I BE TO JUDGMENT BROUGHT- The Southern Harmony #285

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Hymns for Child­ren, 1763.
Meter: C.M. Tune name: ARLINGTON Composer: Dr. Arne 
 
And must I be to judgment brought,
And answer in that day,
For every vain and idle thought,
And every word I say?

Yes, every secret of my heart,
Shall shortly be made known,
And I receive my just desert
For all that I have done.

How careful, then ought I to live,
With what religious fear!
Who such a strict account must give
For my behavior here.

Thou awful Judge of quick and dead,
The watchful power bestow;
So shall I to my ways take heed,
To all I speak or do.

If now Thou standest at the door,
O let me feel Thee near,
And make my peace with God, before
I at Thy bar appear.