Scripture Verse

Whoever comes to Me I will never drive away. John 6:38

Introduction

portrait
Catherine Winkworth
(1827–1878)

Words: Lu­ise Hen­sel, Ber­lin, 1815 (Im­mer muss ich wied­er le­sen). Trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Ca­the­rine Wink­worth, Ly­ra Ger­ma­ni­ca (Lon­don & New York: George Newnes & Charles Scrib­ner’s Sons, 1855), pag­es 219–20.

Music: Ga­li­lee (Jude) Will­iam H. Jude, 1874 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
William Jude (1851–1922)

Lyrics

Ever would I fain be read­ing
In the an­cient ho­ly Book,
Of my Sav­ior’s gentle plead­ing,
Truth in ev­ery word and look.

How when child­ren came He blessed them,
Suffered no man to re­prove,
Took them in His arms, and pressed them
To His heart with words of love.

How to all the sick and tear­ful
Help was ev­er glad­ly shown;
How He sought the poor and fear­ful,
Called them bro­thers and His own.

How no con­trite soul e’er sought Him,
And was bid­den to depart,
How with gen­tle words He taught him,
Took the death from out his heart.

Still I read the an­cient sto­ry,
And my joy is ev­er new,
How for us He left His glo­ry,
How He still is kind and true.

How the flock He gent­ly lead­eth
Whom His Fa­ther gave Him here;
How His arms He wid­ely spread­eth
To His heart to draw us near.

Let me kneel, my Lord, be­fore Thee,
Let my heart in tears o’er­flow,
Melted by Thy love ad­ore Thee,
Blest in Thee ’mid joy or woe!