Seth Sykes (1892-1950) began life with the Glasgow Corporation tramways. He became an evangelist in 1929 and with his wife, Bessie, travelled extensively preaching the gospel. In 1939 they published a book of gospel songs entitled:’Songs of Salvation’, which contained many of their hymns and songs . The hymn below was included and was adapted from poems by James Hogg the ”Ettrick Shepherd.”
The Covenanters’ Scaffold Hymn
1.
Sing with me, sing with me;
Friends in Jesus sing with me;
All my suffering, all my woe,
All my griefs I herefore go;
Farewell terror, sighing grieving,
Praying hearing and believing,
Earthly trust and all its wranglings,
Earthly love and all its longings.
Sing with me, sing with me, sing with me,
Friends in Jesus sing with me;
2.
Sing with me, sing with me;
Blessed spirits sing with me;
To the Lamb our song shall be,
Thro’ a glad eternity.
Farewell earthly morn and even,
Sun and moon and stars of heaven.
Heavenly portals ope before me,
Welcome Christ in all Thy glory.
Sing with me, sing with me, sing with me,
Blessed Spirits sing with me.
3.
Sing with me, sing with me,
Friends in Jesus sing with me.
Tho’ the sceptics tongue deride;
Martyrs who for conscience died,
Sneering courtiers hoot the name,
Modish history blight their fame,
Men who dared alone be free,
Mid a nation’s slavery.
Sing with me, sing with me, sing with me,
Friends in Jesus sing with me.
chorus (to be sung after the last verse only)
Once more Lord, once more,
Lord Thy mighty arm made bare,
Oh hear the prayer, the martyr’s prayer,
Set Scotland now on fire!.