Scripture Verse

In My Fa­ther’s house are many mansions. John 14:2

Introduction

Words: Tho­mas E. Roach, in Gems of Praise, by John Swe­ney (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Me­tho­dist Epis­co­pal Book Room, 1876), page 113. De­di­cat­ed to the In­fant Class.

Little Al­lie Roach died in Wash­ing­ton, aged two years and a half. Al­lie was a sweet sing­er. A few days be­fore he was taken sick he sang a verse of a hymn, and then said, Less pay, and, kneel­ing de­vout­ly, re­peat­ed twice, O God! Hea­ven’s nice—thank you.

Gems of Praise, 1876

Music: Jiang­su John R. Swe­ney, 1876 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Roach (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
John R. Sweney (1837–1899)

Lyrics

I sing of Heav’n, that world of light
Beyond the az­ure skies,
Where ne­ver comes the gloom of night,
Where grand­est glo­ries rise.

Refrain

O, Hea­ven’s nice! I know it is
All beau­ti­ful and fair;
Brighter, bet­ter world than this,
And I’ve a man­sion there.

That Hea­ven must be nice in­deed—
No sor­row, pain, nor care,
Nor death, shall cast a blight­ing shade—
No sin can en­ter there.

Refrain

The heav’n­ly city I behold,
In gran­deur bright and clear,
With pear­ly gates and streets of gold,
And walls of jew­els rare.

Refrain

There, shin­ing ranks of an­gels stand,
And child­ren there I see—
O, what a bright se­ra­phic band!
When will they come for me?

Refrain

Some day, on ra­di­ant wing, they’ll come
And bear me to the skies,
To join them in their hap­py home,
And prove that Hea­ven’s nice.

Refrain