Scripture Verse

In My Fa­ther’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

Introduction

portrait
Rigdon M. McIntosh (1836–1899)

Words: Al­fred A. Gra­ley, in The Ev­er­green, ed­it­ed by T. J. Cook & Theo­dore E. Per­kins (New York: F. J. Hunt­ing­ton, 1862).

Music: Rig­don M. Mc­In­tosh, Pray­er and Praise (Nash­ville, Ten­nes­see: J. W. Burke, 1883), num­ber 147 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

Oh, when shall I dwell in a mansion all bright,
And Je­sus, my Sav­ior, behold?
Or walk by His side, like an angel of light,
In a city all garnished with gold?

Refrain

Home of the blest, home of the blest!
When wilt thou ever be mine?
Home of the blest, home of the blest!
Soon shalt thou ever be mine.

No pearl from the ocean or gold from the mine
Can pardon or purity buy:
I’ll trust in the blood of a Sav­ior divine,
And cling to the cross till I die.

Refrain

But while I’m a stranger, away from my home,
I’ll toil in the vineyard and pray;
I’ll carry the cross, while I think of the crown,
And watch for the break of the day.

Refrain