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Oft in vain the voice of truth Earthly prospects deceitful

John Newton printed it in 1779 in Olney Hymns, Book II, no. 6.

WRITTEN BY

John Newton 1725–1807

PRINTED

1779 Olney Hymns · no. 6

METRE

7.7.7.7 5 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

A subject no verse printed above it

The hymn, and the Scripture in it

All 5 stanzas as Newton printed them, with the verses their lines echo beside them. Point at a line to join it to its verse; click to read the passage.

SHARED WORDSthe verse shares the line's wording ECHOproposed by an AI model, confirmed by a separate check Not the author's own notes

AMONG THE SCRIPTURES

The stanzas at the centre; around them, every book its heading and its echoes come from, Old Testament on the left and New on the right. Choose a stanza or a book.

a line echoes this verse its heading or an echo comes from here

STANZA I

Oft in vain the voice of truth

Oft in vain the voice of truth,

Solemnly and loudly warns;

Thoughtless, inexperienced youth,

Though it hears, the warning scorns:

Youth in fancy’s glass surveys

Life prolonged to distant years;

While the vast, imagined space,

Filled with sweets and joys appears.

No line of this stanza quotes a verse closely; it is the hymn's own confession.

The passage it draws on most

Its book prints no verse above this hymn. Of the verses its lines share most wording with, this is the one the whole hymn draws on, chosen by an AI model from those the word matching found. Not the author's own heading.

Therefore you must say to them, ‘This is the nation that would not listen to the voice of the LORD their God and would not receive correction. Truth has perished; it has disappeared from their lips. JEREMIAH 7:28 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE OPEN IT BESIDE THE PAGE

Its place in the book

Book II of the hymn book, “On occasional subjects”, holds these hymns in this order: 100 hymns. This is number 6. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 6 · JOHN NEWTON · THIS HYMN Oft in vain the voice of truth

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