A Collection of Sacred Hymns for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Europe
Title: “The Morning Breaks, the Shadows Flee”
Medium: hymn
Publication date: 1840
Publisher: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
3 characters in this story:
| Character (Click links for info about character and his/her religious practice, affiliation, etc.) |
Religious Affiliation |
Team(s) [Notes] |
Pub. | # app. |
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[1st app: Old Testament (1402 B.C.)] | various | 313 | ||||||
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[ ] |
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565 | ||||||
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[often are messengers of God] |  |
144 |
This hymn was reprinted from: Millennial Star (vol. 1) #1 (May 1840): "The Morning Breaks; the Shadows Flee".
A Collection of Sacred Hymns for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Europe is also known as: Manchester Hymnal. A Collection of Sacred Hymns for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Europe (as the book is identified on the title page) is informally known as the "Manchester Hymnal."
"The Morning Breaks, the Shadows Flee" was the first hymn in the Manchester Hymnal, which was one of the earliest hymnals published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
This was a text-only hymnal (without musical notation). This was the first time that "The Morning Breaks; the Shadows Flee" was published as a hymn, after earlier being published as a poem. But there was essentially no difference between the poem and the hymn. Actual musical notation would not be published with this hymn until 1864.
Notes from original source:
The poem "The Morning Breaks, the Shadows Flee" was first published on the outside cover of the inaugural issue of the Millennial Star, a periodical of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints published in England. This poem was later used as the lyrics for the hymn "The Morning Breaks; the Shadows Flee," which was the first hymn in the 1840 Manchester Hymnal.
Below is the complete text of this poem:
The morning breaks; the shadows flee;
Lo, Zion's standard is unfurled!
The dawning of a brighter day,
The dawning of a brighter day
Majestic rises on the world.
The clouds of error disappear
Before the rays of truth divine;
The glory bursting from afar,
The glory bursting from afar
Wide o'er the nations soon will shine.
The Gentile fulness now comes in,
And Israel's blessings are at hand.
Lo, Judah's remnant, cleansed from sin,
Lo, Judah's remnant, cleansed from sin
Shall in their promised Canaan stand.
Jehovah speaks! let earth give ear,
And Gentile nations turn and live.
His mighty arm is making bare,
His mighty arm is making bare
His covenant people to receive.
Angels from heaven and truth from earth
Have met, and both have record borne;
Thus Zion's light is bursting forth,
Thus Zion's light is bursting forth
To bring her ransomed children home.
Depending on one's interpretation, "Jehovah" mentioned in the poem refers either to God, Jesus Christ, or both.
