Arise, my soul, nor dream the hours

First published in the 1864 American collection Hymns of the Spirit (No. 568), edited by Samuel Longfellow and Samuel Johnson, "Arise, my soul, nor dream the hours" is an anonymous hymn centered on the Christian duty of redeeming time and laboring faithfully in the present life. The compilation itself represented a major contribution to nineteenth-century American liberal hymnody, seeking to modernize Christian song with a strong emphasis on practical ethics, active devotion, and personal responsibility. Although the specific author of the hymn remains unidentified in historical records, the text clearly reflects the intellectual and moral milieu of mid-nineteenth-century New England religious thought, encouraging believers to awaken from spiritual sloth, seize immediate opportunities for service, and recognize the sacred value of earthly time in fulfilling divine purpose.