Today Thy mercy calls me to wash away my sin;
However great my trespass, whate’er I may have been;
However long from mercy I may have turned away,
Thy blood, O Christ, can cleanse me, and make me white today.

Today Thy gate is open, and all who enter in
Shall find a Father’s welcome, and pardon for their sin;
The past shall be forgotten, a present joy be given;
A future grace be promised, a glorious crown in Heav’n.

Today the Father calls me, the Holy Spirit waits,
The blessèd angels gather around the heav’nly gates;
No question will be asked me, how often I have come;
Although I oft have wandered, it is my Father’s home.

O all embracing mercy, thou ever open door,
What shall I do without thee when heart and eyes run o’er?
When all things seem against me, to drive me to despair,
I know one gate is open, one ear will hear my prayer.

Hour by hour we trust in Jesus,
Hour by hour for strength we pray;
Hour by hour the sands are dropping
From the glass of time away.

Refrain

We are going home where the pure and blest
In perfect peace with Jesus free from care shall rest;
Then let us go on with a happy, happy song,
Then let us go on with a happy, happy song;
O soon we’ll rest on yonder shore,
Rest forevermore.

Hour by hour we hear a warning
From the spirit-voice within;
Hour by hour we meet the tempter,
Hour by hour we fall or win.

Refrain

Hour by hour we journey onward,
Hour by hour we stem the tide;
Hour by hour we miss the dear ones,
Anchored on the other side.

Refrain

Hour by hour the heart grows fainter,
Hour by hour the sunlight dies;
Hour by hour we near the portals
Of our home beyond the skies.

Refrain

In the hour of trial, Jesus, plead for me,
Lest by base denial I depart from Thee.
When Thou seest me waver, with a look recall,
Nor for fear or favor suffer me to fall.

With forbidden pleasures would this vain world charm,
Or its sordid treasures spread to work me harm,
Bring to my remembrance sad Gethsemane,
Or, in darker semblance, cross-crowned Calvary.

Should Thy mercy send me sorrow, toil and woe,
Or should pain attend me on my path below,
Grant that I may never fail Thy hand to see;
Grant that I may ever cast my care on Thee.

When my last hour cometh, fraught with strife and pain,
When my dust returneth to the dust again,
On Thy truth relying, through that mortal strife,
Jesus, take me, dying, to eternal life.

Jesus is coming! go, herald the tidings
Far over the land and the sea;
Jesus is coming to gather the ransomed,
Redeemed by His death on the tree.
Angels attending, the heavens descending—
All language our joy will transcend,
When we shall see Him, the King in His beauty,
Our Bridegroom, Redeemer, and Friend.

Refrain

Jesus is coming, our Savior and Lover divine;
Soon in His glory the ransomed of ages will shine;
Ages on ages we’ll reign with our King on His throne;
Wonderful story! We’ll share in His glory,
Redeemed by His mercy divine.

Lift up your heads and rejoice, O ye righteous,
Your perfect redemption is nigh;
Swiftly the darkness of midnight approaches,
“He cometh” shall sound from the sky.
Long has the battle been waged against evil
By suffering saints here below.
Jesus is coming to banish our sorrow,
And lead us where tears never flow.

Refrain

Come, dear Lord Jesus, Thy promise fulfilling;
“Come quickly!” our souls cry to Thee:
Long has the world been enthralled by the tempter,
The curse is on land and on sea.
Yet Thou shalt triumph, the nations subduing,
The truth of the Word cannot fail;
God’s wondrous glory, like ocean’s deep billows,
To earth’s farthest bounds shall prevail.

Refrain

He cometh, Father, as He came of old
’Neath earthly veil concealed from mortal sight,
Though now we hear no angel harps of gold,
Nor see the glory of the heavenly light:
Look Thou in love, as on that wondrous birth
On this, His goodwill gift of peace to earth.

Thou comest, Lord, and as in Bethlehem’s stall
Our gifts and greetings here we offer Thee.
Here spread a veil, then low adoring fall,
Where as in Mary’s arms by faith we see
God’s highest glory, graciously enshrined
In this Thy gift of peace to all mankind.

He cometh! Spirit blest, Thy truth impart,
Brooding in love upon the bread and wine,
Make them, we pray, make very faithful heart,
Like Mary’s, meet to hold the Guest divine,
God’s highest glory veiled from mortal ken
In this, His promised gift of peace to men.

He cometh, Father, here to seek His own,
Thy Word made flesh—He deigns ’mid us to dwell
Thou comest, Lord, from Thine eternal throne
By Thy sweet Spirit’s power, Emmanuel,
And round Thy feet, we hymn Thy glory still
With angel songs of peace and great good-will.

“Let someone else!” you often say,
When asked to serve the Lord;
And “someone else,” when life is o’er,
Will reap a rich reward.
Oh, someone else is doing the work
That you for God should do;
And someone else will be wearing the crown
That God had meant for you.

“Let someone else speak forth the word
To save a soul from sin”;
That “someone else,” when Jesus comes,
A crown of life will win.
Oh, someone else is doing the work
That you for God should do;
And someone else will be wearing the crown
That God had meant for you.

“Let someone else go forth,” you say,
To lands beyond the seas;
While you remain at home and take
Your comfort and your ease.
Oh, someone else is doing the work
That you for God should do;
And someone else will be wearing the crown
That God had meant for you.

Oh, never let your lips again
Those thoughtless words repeat;
But pray that grace to you be giv’n
To serve at Jesus’ feet.
Then no one else will do the work
That you for God should do;
And no one else will be wearing the crown
That God has kept for you.

Onward! upward! Christian soldier,
Turn not back nor sheath thy sword,
Let its blade be sharp for conquest,
In the battle for the Lord.
From the great white throne eternal,
God Himself is looking down;
He it is Who now commands thee,
Take the cross and win the crown.
He it is Who now commands thee,
Take the cross and win the crown.

Onward! upward! doing, daring,
All for Him Who died for thee;
Face the foe and meet with boldness
Danger whatsoe’er it be.
From the battlements of glory,
Holy ones are looking down,
Thou canst almost hear them shouting:
“On! let no one take thy crown.”
Thou canst almost hear them shouting:
“On! let no one take thy crown.”

Onward! till thy course is finished,
Like the ransomed ones before;
Keep the faith thro’ persecution,
Never give the battle o’er.
Onward! upward! till victorious,
Thou shalt lay thy armor down,
And thy loving Savior bids thee
At His hand receive thy crown.
And thy loving Savior bids thee
At His hand receive thy crown.

King of the City Splendid,
Eternal in the height,
May all our country’s cities
Grow holy in Thy sight;
Cleansed from the deeds of darkness—
Cities of light.

Teach love to gladden children
That know not childhood’s mirth,
Wronged of their rights—no beauty
In their scant reach of earth;
To hope’s large sunshine give them
A second birth.

Give joy to all the joyless,
Song’s voice to sorrows dumb,
May light invade with blessing
Each dark and deathly slum;
Into earth’s realms of horror
Thy Kingdom come!

Soon may our country’s cities
Thy robe of glory wear;
Each place of toil a temple,
Each house a home of prayer;
Each city’s name of beauty—
The Lord is there!

O what their joy and their glory must be,
Those endless Sabbaths the blessèd ones see;
Crown for the valiant, to weary ones, rest;
God shall be all, and in all ever blessed.

What are the Monarch, His court, and His throne?
What are the peace and the joy that they own?
O that the blessed ones, who in it have share,
All that they feel could as fully declare!

Truly, “Jerusalem” name we that shore,
City of peace that brings joy evermore;
Wish and fulfillment are not severed there,
Nor do things prayed for come short of the prayer.

There, where no troubles distraction can bring,
We the sweet anthems of Zion shall sing;
While for Thy grace, Lord, their voices of praise
Thy blessèd people eternally raise.

There dawns no Sabbath, no Sabbath is o’er,
Those Sabbath keepers have one evermore;
One and unending is that triumph song
Which to the angels and us shall belong.

Now, in the meanwhile, with hearts raised on high,
We for that country must yearn and must sigh;
Seeking Jerusalem, dear native land,
Through our long exile on Babylon’s strand.

Low before Him with our praises we fall,
Of Whom, and in Whom, and through Whom are all;
Of Whom, the Father; and in Whom, the Son,
Through Whom, the Spirit, with Them ever One.