Once again the Gospel message
From the Savior you have heard;
Will you heed the invitation?
Will you turn and seek the Lord?

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Come believing! come believing!
Come to Jesus! look and live!
Come believing! come believing!
Come to Jesus! look and live!

Many summers you have wasted,
Ripened harvests you have seen;
Winter snows by spring have melted,
Yet you linger in your sin.

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Jesus for your choice is waiting;
Tarry not: at once decide!
While the Spirit now is striving,
Yield, and seek the Savior’s side.

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Cease of fitness to be thinking;
Do not longer try to feel;
It is trusting, and not feeling,
That will give the Spirit’s seal.

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Let your will to God be given,
Trust in Christ’s atoning blood;
Look to Jesus now in Heaven,
Rest on His unchanging Word.

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Faith means we’re sure of what we hope to get;
We’re certain of the things that we do not see.
By faith we know that God made the world;
What’s here now was not made from what was seen.
Abel by faith offered God a better sacrifice;
And Enoch, too, by faith died not, but from this life did rise.
Though they are gone, they speak this word:
That without faith, none can please the Lord.

It was by faith that Noah built the ark,
When warned by God of things that were yet to pass.
Since he had faith, God did spare his life,
And made him an heir of His righteousness.
Abraham, too, when God said to leave his home behind,
Obeyed and went, though he knew not the land he was to find.
Though they are gone, they speak this word:
That without faith, none can please the Lord.

It was by faith that Abr’ham had a son,
Then offered him to God as a sacrifice.
Faith upheld Moses in Egypt’s land,
And faith let a lamb pay the firstborn’s price.
By faith the people passed through the sea as on dry land,
And faith was why the walls of Jericho just could not stand.
Though they are gone, they speak this word:
That without faith, none can please the Lord.

All these still lived by faith until they died,
Receiving not the things that had been made known.
They only saw them as from afar;
They knew that their country was not their own.
God therefore was not ashamed to be named as their Lord;
For they believed that He was real and would their faith reward.
Oh, give me faith to trust Your Word,
That by my life I may please You, Lord.

Built by Jehovah’s hand,
The holy city see:
Its happy gates wide open stand:
To enter all are free.

One bright, eternal day
Shall in the city reign,
Darkness and death are fled away,
Ne’er to return again.

O blessèd, happy state!
Great God, we thankful come,
Low at Thy footstool humbly wait,
And make Thy church our home.

Jerusalem shall be
Our peaceful, blest abode:
Here we will love and honor Thee,
Our Savior and our God!

O thou not made with hands,
Not throned above the skies,
Nor walled with shining walls,
Nor framed with stones of price,
More bright than gold or gem,
God’s own Jerusalem.

Where’er the gentle heart
Finds courage from above;
Where’er the heart forsook
Warms with the breath of love;
Where faith bids fear depart,
City of God, thou art.

Thou art where’er the proud
In humbleness melts down;
Where self itself yields up;
Where martyrs win their crown;
Where faithful souls possess
Themselves in perfect peace.

Where in life’s common ways
With cheerful feet we go;
Where in His steps we tread,
Who trod the way of woe;
Where He is in the heart,
City of God, thou art.

Not throned above the skies,
Nor golden-walled afar,
But where Christ’s two or three
In His Name gathered are,
Be in the midst of them,
God’s own Jerusalem.

There’s a holy and beautiful city
Whose Builder and Ruler is God;
John saw it descending from Heaven,
When Patmos, in exile, he trod;
Its high, massive wall is of jasper,
The city itself is pure gold;
And when my frail tent here is folded,
Mine eyes shall its glory behold.

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In that bright city, pearly white city,
I have a mansion, a harp, and a crown;
Now I am watching, waiting, and longing,
For the white city that’s soon coming down.

No sin is allowed in that city
And nothing defiling or mean;
No pain and no sickness can enter,
No crepe on the doorknob is seen;
Earth’s sorrows and cares are forgotten,
No tempter is there to annoy;
No parting words ever are spoken,
There’s nothing to hurt or destroy.

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No heartaches are known in that city,
No tears ever moisten the eyes;
There’s no disappointment in Heaven,
No envy and strife in the sky;
The saints are all sanctified wholly,
They live in sweet harmony there;
My heart is now set on that city,
And some day its blessings I’ll share.

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My loved ones are gathering yonder,
My friends too are passing away,
And soon I shall join their bright number,
And dwell in eternity’s day;
They’re safe now in glory with Jesus,
Their trials and battles are past.
They overcame sin and the tempter,
They’ve reached that fair city at last.

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“Pilgrim, whither journey you
Along the path of life?
What’s the goal you have in view
Along the path of life?”
“Far beyond our vision, friend,
Is my journey’s blessèd end;
Heavenward my footsteps wend
Along the path of life.”

“Pilgrim, why not halt and rest
Along the path of life?
Quickly on your way you’ve pressed
Along the path of life.”
“Nay, but through His precious grace
Soon I’ll end this earthly race;
I have no abiding place
Along the path of life.”

“Pilgrim, why look you so glad
Along the path of life?”
“Nearing home, should I be sad
Along the path of life?
Where yon crystal towers shine
I shall see my King divine,
And eternal bliss be mine
Beyond this path of life.”

Come, Heaven-bound pilgrims, and join in God’s praise,
Come seek now His blessing and learn of His ways,
In humble devotion bow low at His feet,
In true spirit worship, His favor entreat.

Let each one consider the price we have cost,
Let each one be burdened with souls that are lost,
And seek that infilling of pow’r from above,
That fits us for service and fills us with love.

Remember each other in true, fervent prayer,
Pray too for God’s servants that they may declare
The message of truth with an anxious desire,
That all be enkindled with heavenly fire.

O gracious Redeemer, be with us we pray,
Breathe on us Thy Spirit to show us the way,
And fill us with goodness, with peace and delight,
That all to Thy glory may shine as a light.

Far off I see the goal—O Savior, guide me;
I feel my strength is small—be Thou beside me;
With vision ever clear, with love that conquers fear,
And grace to persevere, O Lord, provide me.

Whene’er Thy way seems strange, go Thou before me;
And, lest my heart should change, O Lord, watch o’er me;
But, should my faith prove frail, and I through blindness fail,
O let Thy grace prevail, and still restore me.

Should earthly pleasures wane, and joy forsake me;
And lonely hours of pain at length o’ertake me,
My hand in Thine hold fast till sorrow be o’erpast,
And gentle death at last for Heav’n awake me.

There, with the ransomed throng who praise forever
The love that made them strong to serve forever,
I, too, would seek Thy face, Thy finished work retrace,
And magnify Thy grace, redeemed forever.

Happy little pilgrims,
We should ne’er be sad;
For the love of Jesus
Makes His children glad.

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Happy little pilgrims,
Going on our way,
To a land of beauty,
Singing all the day.

In that land so lovely,
Everything is bright,
There will be no sorrow,
There will be no night.

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Not alone we journey
To the mansions fair;
Jesus is our Shepherd;
He will lead us there.

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I’m a pilgrim and a stranger,
Rough and thorny is the road,
Often in the midst of danger,
But it leads to God.
Clouds of darkness oft distress me;
Great and many are my foes;
Anxious cares and thoughts oppress me;
But my Father knows.

Oh, how sweet is this assurance,
’Midst the conflict and the strife,
Although sorrows past endurance
Follow me through life.
Home in prospect can still cheer me:
Yes, and give me sweet repose,
While I feel His presence near me,
For my Father knows.

Yes, He sees and knows me daily,
Watches over me in love;
Sends me help when foes assail me,
Bids me look above.
Soon my journey shall be ended,
Life is drawing to a close;
I shall then be well attended—
This my Father knows.

I shall then with joy behold Him;
Face to face my Savior see;
Fall with rapture, and adore Him
For His love to me.
Nothing more shall then distress me—
In the land of sweet repose:
Jesus stands engaged to bless me—
This my Father knows.

I’m a pilgrim, and I’m a stranger,
I can tarry, I can tarry but a night;
Do not detain me, for I am going
To where the fountains are ever flowing.

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I’m a pilgrim, and I’m a stranger;
I can tarry, I can tarry but a night.

There the glory is ever shining;
Oh, my longing heart, my longing heart is there;
Here in this country so dark and dreary,
I long have wandered forlorn and weary.

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There’s the city to which I journey;
My Redeemer, my Redeemer is its Light;
There is no sorrow nor any sighing,
Nor any tears there, nor any dying.

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Farewell, neighbors, with tears I’ve warned you,
I must leave you, I must leave you and be gone!
With this your portion, your heart’s desire,
Why will you perish in raging fire?

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Father, mother, and sister, brother!
If you will not journey with me, I must go!
Now since your vain hopes you will thus cherish,
Should I, too, linger, and with you perish?

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Farewell, drear earth, by sin so blighted,
In immortal beauty soon you’ll be arrayed;
He who has formed thee will soon restore thee,
And then the dread curse shall nevermore be.

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In our day of thanksgiving one psalm let us offer
For the saints who before us have found their reward;
When the shadow of death fell upon them, we sorrowed,
But now we rejoice that they rest in the Lord.

In the morning of life, and at noon, and at even,
He called them away from our worship below;
But not till His love, at the font and the altar,
Had girt them with grace for the way they should go.

These stones that have echoed their praises are holy,
And dear is the ground where their feet have once trod;
Yet here they confessed they were strangers and pilgrims,
And still they were seeking the city of God.

Sing praise, then, for all who here sought and here found Him,
Whose journey is ended, whose perils are past;
They believed in the Light; and its glory is round them,
Where the clouds of earth’s sorrows are lifted at last.

Now rest, ye pilgrim host, look back upon your way,
The mountains climbed, the torrents crossed,
Through many a weary day.
From this victorious height, how fair the past appears,
God’s grace and glory shining bright
On all the bygone years.

How many, at His call, have parted from our throng!
They watch us from the crystal wall,
And echo back our song.
They rest, beyond complaints,
Beyond all sighs and tears:
Praise be to God for all His saints
Who wrought in bygone years.

The banners they upbore our hands still lift on high;
The Lord they followed evermore
To us is also nigh.
Arise, arise and tread the future without fears;
He leadeth still, whose hand hath led
Through all the bygone years.

When we have reached the home we seek with weary feet,
Our children’s children still shall come
To keep those ranks complete;
And He, whose host is one throughout the countless spheres,
Will guide His marching servants on
Through everlasting years.

Rise, O my soul, pursue the path
By ancient worthies trod;
Aspiring, view those holy men
Who lived and walked with God.

Though dead, they speak in reason’s ear,
And in example live;
Their faith, and hope, and mighty deeds
Still fresh instruction give.

’Twas through the Lamb’s most precious blood
They conquered every foe;
And to His power and matchless grace
Their crowns of life they owe.

Lord, May I ever keep in view
The patterns Thou hast given
And ne’er forsake the blessèd road
That led them safe to Heaven.

O how blest to be a pilgrim,
Guided by the Father’s hand;
Free at last from ev’ry burden
We shall enter Canaan’s land.

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Songs of vict’ry there shall greet us,
Like the thund’ring of a mighty flood,
Endless praises be to Jesus,
Who redeemed us by his blood!

On this side of Jordan’s river,
Sighs too deep for words are known,
But we look for bright tomorrows
In Jerusalem our home.

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There no clouds of darkness gather,
Neither sorrow, tears, nor woe,
Nothing harmful e’er shall enter,
Sin and pain we will not know.

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Here from loved ones we are parted,
Earthly sorrows never cease,
But within that glorious city
We shall meet again in peace.

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O may none give up the journey,
Left in darkness on the shore,
May we all at last be gathered
When our pilgrimage is o’er.

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Thro’ a land of sin and shame,
Led by Jesus we are trav’ling home;
Trusting in the Savior’s Name,
Led by Jesus we are trav’ling home.

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Trav’ling home, trav’ling home,
Led by Jesus we are trav’ling home;
Trav’ling home, trav’ling home,
Led by Jesus we are trav’ling home;

To a land of peace and rest,
Led by Jesus we are trav’ling home;
Where no soul can be distressed,
Led by Jesus we are trav’ling home.

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Joy unceasing we shall share,
Led by Jesus we are trav’ling home;
With the loved ones waiting there,
Led by Jesus we are trav’ling home.

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Sorrows will forgotten be,
Led by Jesus we are trav’ling home;
Over for eternity,
Led by Jesus we are trav’ling home.

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We are pilgrims of a day,
Homeward bound, homeward bound;
Singing on our cheerful way,
We are homeward bound.

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Onward, upward still, O ye hopeful pilgrims;
Forward, fear no ill, yonder is our home;
We journey, hand in hand,
To Canaan’s happy land;
O come, ye friends and neighbors,
And join the pilgrim band.

We are happy in the Lord,
Trav’ling on, trav’ling on;
Trusting in His holy Word,
We are trav’ling on.

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Sin and sorrow here below,
Soon will end, soon will end;
In the land to which we go,
Toil and care will end.

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Working all the way along,
Rest will come, rest will come;
Lighten work with pray’r and song,
Blessèd rest will come.

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My own dear land, where’er my footsteps wander,
Ever to thee my heart still turns again;
To thee my love grows ever fonder, fonder,
Till in its might it is akin to pain.
Ever to thee I’m bound in love and duty;
No dearer land to me in all the earth;
By all sweet ties of home and love and beauty,
To thee I cleave, dear land that gave me birth.

Yet I look on, beyond earth’s habitation,
To where a home of rarer vision gleams,
Fairer than earth’s most wonderful creation
Bathed in the light of Heav’n’s own morning beams.
There we shall meet, from every clime and nation,
There we shall meet in answer to the call,
There we shall meet in joyous consecration,
Sons of one Father, brothers one and all.

My soul, there is a country,
Afar beyond the stars,
Where stands a wingèd sentry,
All skillful in the wars.

There, above noise and danger,
Sweet Peace sits crowned with smiles,
And One born in a manger
Commands the beauteous files.

He is thy gracious Friend
And (O my soul, awake!)
Did in pure love descend,
To die here for thy sake.

If thou canst get but thither,
There grows the flower of peace,
The rose that cannot wither,
Thy fortress, and thy ease.

Leave, then, thy foolish ranges;
For none can thee secure
But One, who never changes,
Thy God, thy Life, thy Cure.

The Church of God a kingdom is,
Where Christ in power doth reign;
Where spirits yearn till, seen in bliss,
Their Lord shall come again.

Glad companies of saints possess
This Church below, above;
And God’s perpetual calm doth bless
Their paradise of love.

An altar stands within the shrine
Whereon, once sacrificed,
Is set, immaculate, divine,
The Lamb of God, the Christ.

There rich and poor, from countless lands,
Praise God on mystic rood;
There nations reach forth holy hands
To take God’s holy food.

There pure life-giving streams o’erflow
The sower’s garden-ground:
And faith and love fair blossoms show,
And fruits of love abound.

O King, O Christ, this endless grace
To us and all men bring,
To see the vision of Thy face
In joy, O Christ, our King.

Faith of our brothers, suffering sore,
Enduring prison, famine, and sword,
O Holy Spirit, give comfort, we pray,
May they this day find strength in Thy Word.
Faith of our brothers, holy faith,
May they be true to thee till death!

Tortured and killed for Thy dear Name,
Lord, give them grace to count all but loss,
May they hold steadfast to the end,
Sharing the sufferings of the cross.
Faith of our brothers, holy faith,
May they be true to thee till death!

Our brothers, chained in prisons dark,
Are still in heart and conscience free,
O may they know thy deep, sweet peace,
Fill them with joy for all to see.
Faith of our brothers, holy faith,
May they be true to thee till death!

Faith of our brothers! May they love
Both friend and foe in all their strife,
And preach Thee too, as love knows how,
By kindly words and virtuous life.
Faith of our brothers, holy faith,
May they be true to thee till death!

And Lord, may we be ready too,
To give our lives, if needed, for Thee,
May we be strong in Thy great strength,
And live each day, committed to Thee.
Faith of all brothers, holy faith,
May we be true to thee till death!