{
 "id": "john-newton/the-benighted-traveler",
 "title": "The Benighted Traveler",
 "ordinal": "33",
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "John Newton",
 "poet_slug": "john-newton",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Olney Hymns",
 "book_slug": "olney-hymns",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 274,
 "container": "III Conflict",
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1779,
  "venue": "Olney Hymns (1779)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/bim_eighteenth-century_olney-hymns-in-three-bo_newton-john_1779",
   "https://cowperandnewtonmuseum.org.uk/bulletin/computerised-index-to-the-olney-hymns/",
   "https://archive.org/details/olneyhymnsinthre00cowpuoft"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/john-newton_william-cowper_olney-hymns",
  "file": "book-3.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Olney_Hymns_%281840%29",
   "https://archive.org/details/olneyhymnsinthre00cowpuoft"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-15"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 28,
  "n_stanzas": 7,
  "n_parts": 7,
  "longest_line_chars": 35,
  "max_indent": 0
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [
  {
   "ordinal": "I",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    0,
    1
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "II",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    1,
    2
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "III",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    2,
    3
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "IV",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
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    4
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "V",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
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   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "VI",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    5,
    6
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "VII",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    6,
    7
   ]
  }
 ],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "Forest beasts that live by prey,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Seldom show themselves by day;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But when day-light is withdrawn,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Then they rove and roar till dawn.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Who can tell the trav’ler’s fears",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When their horrid yells he hears?",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Terror almost stops his breath,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "While each step he looks for death.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Thus, when Jesus is in view,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Cheerful I my way pursue;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Walking by my Saviour’s light",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Nothing can my soul affright.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "But when he forbears to shine,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Soon the trav’ler’s case is mine;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Lost, benighted, struck with dread,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "What a painful path I tread!",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Then my soul with terror hears,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Worse than lions, wolves, or bears,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Roaring loud in every part,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Through the forest of my heart.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Wrath, impatience, envy, pride,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Satan and his host beside,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Press around me to devour;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "How can I escape their power?",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Gracious Lord, afford me light,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Put these beasts of prey to flight;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Let thy pow’r of love be shown;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Save me, for I am thine own!",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}