Scripture Verse

If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:3

portrait
Emma F. Bevan
1827–1909

Introduction

Words: At­trib­ut­ed to Em­ma F. Be­van, Hymns of Ter Stee­gen, Su­so and Oth­ers (Lon­don: James Nis­bet, 1894), pag­es 91–93. The lines were fol­lowed by the in­i­tials P. G.

Music: Al­ma­den S. H. Price, 1874 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know Price’s full name, or where to get a good pho­to of him (head-and-shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), or a bet­ter one of Be­van,

Origin of the Hymn

The fact that these lines were signed P.G. led to the be­lief that they were trans­lat­ed from the Ger­man hym­no­dist, Paul Ger­hardt, since Mrs. Be­van nor­mal­ly signed trans­la­tions with the in­i­tials of the orig­in­al au­thor

It is, how­ev­er, vir­tu­al­ly cer­tain that these lines were an orig­in­al com­po­si­tion writ­ten at the Be­vans’ Lon­don house Princ­es Gate. Ger­hardt wrote noth­ing that could have served as a ba­sis for such a com­po­si­tion.

John S. An­drews
Frances Be­van: Trans­lat­or of Ge­rman Hymns
The Ev­an­gel­i­cal Quar­ter­ly (1962?), p. 208

Lyrics

’Midst the darkness, storm and sorrow,
One bright gleam I see;
Well I know the blessèd morrow
Christ will come for me.

’Midst the light, and peace, and glory
Of the Father’s home,
Christ for me is watching, waiting,
Waiting till I come.

Long the blessèd Guide has led me
By the desert road;
Now I see the golden towers,
City of my God.

There, amidst the love and glory,
He is waiting yet;
On His hands a name is graven
He can ne’er forget.

There, amidst the songs of Heaven,
Sweeter to His ear,
Is the footfall in the desert,
Ever drawing near.

There, made ready are the mansions,
Radiant, still and fair;
Bur the bride the Father gave Him
Yet is wanting there.

Who is this who comes to meet me
On the desert way,
As the Morning Star foretelling
God’s unclouded day?

He it is who came to win me
On the cross of shame;
In His glory well I know Him
Evermore the same.

O the blessèd joy of meeting,
All the desert past!
Oh the wondrous words of greeting
He shall speak at last!

He and I together entering
Those fair courts above—
He and I together sharing
All the Father’s love.

Where no shade nor stain can enter,
Nor the gold be dim,
In that holiness unsullied,
I shall walk with Him.

Meet companion there for Jesus,
From Him, for Him, made—
Glory of God’s grace forever
There in me displayed.

He who in His hour of sorrow
Bore the curse alone;
I who through the lonely desert
Trod where he had gone;

He and I, in that bright glory,
One deep joy shall share—
Mine, to be for ever with Him;
His, that I am there.