Scripture Verse

I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me.Proverbs 8:17

Introduction

portrait
Horatius Bonar (1808–1889)

Words: Ho­ra­ti­us Bo­nar, Ap­ril 9, 1880. Writ­ten for The Gar­land of New Sun­day School Mu­sic, by Ca­rey Bon­ner (Lon­don: Hart, 1881).

Music: Ti­ras­pol George C. Steb­bins, Sac­red Songs No. 2 (New York and Chi­ca­go, Il­linois: Big­low & Main, 1899), num­ber 6 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
George C. Stebbins (1846–1945)

Lyrics

Early seeking, early finding,
Ever happy, happy we;
Looking up in life’s sweet morning,
Coming, coming now to Thee;
We begin our children’s days,
Lord of Glory, with Thy praise;
We begin our children’s days,
Lord of Glory, with Thy praise.

Early asking, early getting,
Ever happy, happy we;
We would ever, blessèd Je­sus,
Love and follow, follow Thee;
In Thy presence there is joy,
In Thy service blest employ;
In Thy presence there is joy,
In Thy service blest employ.

Early knocking, early opening,
Ever happy, happy we;
By the holy gate we enter,
Lord, to dwell, to dwell with Thee;
In the city of the blest,
In the home of heav’nly rest;
In the city of the blest,
In the home of heav’nly rest.

Early loving, early trusting,
Ever happy, happy we;
Mounting upward, pressing onward,
Closer, closer drawn to Thee;
Earthly joys we leave behind,
All in Thee, O Christ, to find;
Earthly joys we leave behind,
All in Thee, O Christ, to find.