In days of old on Sinai
The Lord Almighty came
In majesty of terror,
In thunder cloud and flame:
On Tabor, with the glory
Of sunniest light for vest,
The excellence of beauty
In Jesus was expressed.

All light created paled there,
And did Him worship meet;
The sun itself adored Him,
And bowed before His feet;
While Moses and Elias,
Upon the holy mount,
The co-eternal glory
Of Christ our God recount.

O holy, wondrous vision!
But what when, this life past,
The beauty of Mount Tabor
Shall end in Heav’n at last?
But what when all the glory
Of uncreated light
Shall be the promised guerdon
Of them that win the fight?

Stay, Master, stay, upon this heavenly hill;
A little longer, let us linger still;
With all the mighty ones of old beside,
Near to God’s holy presence still abide;
Before the throne of light we trembling stand,
And catch a glimpse into the spirit land.

Stay, Master, stay! we breathe a purer air;
This life is not the life that waits us there;
Thoughts, feelings, flashes, glimpses come and go;
We cannot speak them—nay, we do not know;
Wrapped in this cloud of light we seem to be
The thing we fain would grow—eternally.

“No!” saith the Lord, “the hour is past,” we go;
Our home, our life, our duties lie below.
While here we kneel upon the mount of prayer,
The plough lies waiting in the furrow there!
Here we sought God that we might know His will;
There we must do it, serve Him, seek Him still.

If man aspires to reach the throne of God,
O’er the dull plains of earth must lie the road;
He who best does his lowly duty here,
Shall mount the highest in a nobler sphere:
At God’s own feet our spirits seek their rest,
And he is dearest Him who serves Him best.

What tho’ clouds are hov’ring o’er me,
And I seem to walk alone—
Longing ’mid my cares and crosses,
For the joys that now are flown—
If I’ve Jesus, “Jesus only,”
Then my sky will have a gem;
He’s a Sun of brightest splendor,
And the Star of Bethlehem.

What tho’ all my earthly journey
Bringeth naught but weary hours,
And, in grasping for life’s roses,
Thorns I find instead of flow’rs—
If I’ve Jesus, “Jesus only,”
I possess a cluster rare;
He’s the “Lily of the Valley,”
And the “Rose of Sharon” fair.

What tho’ all my heart is yearning
For the loved of long ago—
Bitter lessons, sadly learning
From the shadowy page of woe—
If I’ve Jesus, “Jesus only,”
He’ll be with me to the end;
And, unseen by mortal vision,
Angel bands will o’er me bend.

When I soar to realms of glory
And an entrance I await,
If I whisper, “Jesus only!”
Wide will ope the pearly gate;
When I join the heavenly chorus,
And the angel hosts I see,
Precious Jesus, “Jesus only,”
Will my theme of rapture be.

For salvation full and free,
Purchased once on Calvary,
Christ alone shall be my plea—
Jesus! Jesus only.

Refrain

Jesus only, let me see,
Jesus only, none save He,
Then my song shall ever be—
Jesus! Jesus only!

He my Guide from day to day,
As I journey on life’s way;
Close beside Him let me stay—
Jesus! Jesus only.

Refrain

May my model ever be
Christ the Lord, and none save He,
That the world may see in me
Jesus! Jesus only.

Refrain

He shall reign from shore to shore,
His the glory evermore—
Heav’n and earth shall bow before
Jesus! Jesus only.

Refrain