Death, Anticipated

Verse 1

A few more years shall roll,
A few more seasons come,
And we shall be with those that rest
Asleep within the tomb.

Verse 2

A few more suns shall set
O’er these dark hills of time,
And we shall be where suns are not,
A far serener clime.

Verse 3

A few more storms shall beat
On this wild rocky shore,
And we shall be where tempests cease,
And surges swell no more.

Verse 4

A few more struggles here,
A few more partings o’er,
A few more toils, a few more tears,
And we shall weep no more.

Verse 5

’Tis but a little while
And he shall come again,
Who died that we might live, who lives
That we with him may reign.

Verse 6

Then, O my Lord, prepare
My soul for that great day;
Oh, wash me in thy precious blood,
And take my sins away.

Verse 1

Days and moments quickly flying
Blend the living with the dead;
Soon shall we who sing be lying,
Each within our narrow bed.

Verse 2

Soon our souls to God who gave them
Will have sped their rapid flight;
Able now by grace to save them,
Oh, that while we can we might.

Verse 3

Jesus, infinite Redeemer,
Maker of this mighty frame,
Teach, oh, teach us to remember
What we are, and whence we came:--

Verse 4

Whence we came, and whither wending
Soon we must through darkness go,
To inherit bliss unending,
Or eternity of woe.

Verse 5

Rev. Edward Caswell, 1849.

Verse 6

As the tree falls so must it lie;
As the man lives so will he die;
As the man dies, such must he be
All through the days of eternity.
Amen.

Verse 1

My days are gliding swiftly by,
And I a pilgrim stranger,
Would not detain them as they fly,
Those hours of toil and danger.

Refrain

For, oh! we stand on Jordan’s strand,
Our friends are passing over;
And, just before, the shining shore
We may almost discover.

Verse 2

We’ll gird our loins, my brethren dear!
Our heav’nly home discerning;
Our absent Lord has left us word,--
“Let ev’ry lamp be burning.”

Verse 3

Should coming days be cold and dark,
We need not cease our singing;
That perfect rest none can molest,
Where golden harps are ringing.

Verse 4

Let sorrow’s rudest tempest blow,
Each cord on earth to sever;
Our King says,--“Come!” and there’s our home,
Forever, oh! forever!

Verse 1

My days are gliding swiftly by,
And I a pilgrim stranger,
Would not detain them as they fly,
Those hours of toil and danger.

Refrain

For, oh! we stand on Jordan’s strand,
Our friends are passing over;
And, just before, the shining shore
We may almost discover.

Verse 2

We’ll gird our loins, my brethren dear!
Our heav’nly home discerning;
Our absent Lord has left us word,--
“Let ev’ry lamp be burning.”

Verse 3

Should coming days be cold and dark,
We need not cease our singing;
That perfect rest none can molest,
Where golden harps are ringing.

Verse 4

Let sorrow’s rudest tempest blow,
Each cord on earth to sever;
Our King says,--“Come!” and there’s our home,
Forever, oh! forever!

Verse 1

One sweetly solemn thought
Comes to me o’er and o’er;
I’m nearer home to-day
Than e’er I’ve been before.

Refrain

I’m nearer my home, nearer my home,
Nearer my home to-day;
Yes, nearer my home in heav’n to-day,
Than ever I’ve been before.

Verse 2

Nearer my Father’s house
Where the blest mansions be;
Nearer the great white throne,
Nearer the crystal sea;

Verse 3

Nearer the bound where we
Must lay our burdens down,
Nearer to leave the cross,
Nearer to gain the crown.

Verse 4

The waves of that deep sea
Roll dark before my sight,
But break, the other side,
Upon a shore of light.

Verse 5

Oh! if my mortal feet
Have almost gained the brink,
If I am nearer home
To-day than e’en I think,

Verse 6

Father! perfect my trust,
That I may rest, in death,
On Christ, my Lord, alone,
And thus resign my breath.

Verse 1

Wayfarers in the wilderness,
By morn, and noon, and even,
Day after day, we journey on,
With weary feet toward heaven.

Refrain

O land above! O land of love!
The glory shineth o’er thee;
O Christ, our King! in mercy bring
Us thither, we implore thee!

Verse 2

By day the cloud before us goes,
By night the cloud of fire,
To guide us o’er the trackless waste,
To Canaan ever nigher.

Verse 3

The sea was riven from our feet,
And so shall be the river;
And, by the King’s highway brought home,
We’ll praise his name forever:

Verse 1

Why do we mourn departing friends,
Or shake at death’s alarms?
’Tis but the voice that Jesus sends,
To call them to his arms.

Verse 2

Are we not tending upward, too,
As fast as time can move?
Nor would we wish the hours more slow,
To keep us from our love.

Verse 3

Why should we tremble to convey
Their bodies to the tomb?
There the dear flesh of Jesus lay,
And scattered all the gloom.

Verse 4

The graves of all the saints be blessed,
And softened every bed;
Where should the dying members rest,
But with the dying Head?

Verse 5

Thence he arose, ascending high,
And showed our feet the way;
Up to the Lord we, too, shall fly
At the great rising-day.

Verse 6

Then let the last loud trumpet sound,
And bid our kindred rise;
Awake! ye nations under ground;
Ye saints! ascend the skies.