1. How sweetly flowed the gospel sound
From lips of gentleness and grace,
When listening thousands gathered round,
And joy and gladness filled the place!
2. From heaven He came, of heaven He spoke,
To heaven He led his followers’ way;
Dark clouds of gloomy night He broke,
Unveiling an immortal day.
3. “Come, wanderers, to my Father’s home;
Come, all ye weary ones, and rest:”
Yes, sacred Teacher, we will come,
Obey Thee, love Thee, and be blest.
4. Decay, then, tenements of dust;
Pillars of earthly pride, decay:
A nobler mansion waits the just,
And Jesus has prepared the way.
BOWRING
Henry Ward Beecher, Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes for the Use of Christian Congregations, (New York: A. S. Barnes & Company, 1859), 72.