I sat alone with life’s me­mo­ries
In sight of the crys­tal sea;
And I saw the thrones of the star-crowned ones,
With nev­er a crown for me.
And then the voice of the Judge said, Come,
Of the Judge on the great white throne;
And I saw the star-crowned take their seats,
But none could I call my own.

I thought me then of my child­hood days,
The pray­er at my mo­ther’s knee—
Of the coun­sels grave that my fa­ther gave—
The wrath I was warned to flee;
I said, Is it then too late, too late?
Shut with­out, must I stand for aye?
And the Judge, will He say, I know you not,
Howe’er I may knock and pray?

I thought, I thought of the days of God
I’d wasted in fol­ly and sin—
Of the times I’d mocked when the Sav­ior knocked,
And I would not let Him in.
I thought, I thought of the vows I’d made
When I lay at death’s dark door—
Would He spare my life, I’d give up the strife,
And serve Him for­ev­er more.

I heard a voice, like the voice of God—
Remember, re­mem­ber, My son!
Remember thy ways in the for­mer days,
The crowns that thou might have won!
I thought, I thought—and my thoughts ran on,
Like the tide of a sun­less sea—
Am I liv­ing or dead? to my­self I said,
An end is there ne’er to be?

I seemed as though I woke from a dream,
How sweet was the light of day!
Melodious sounded the Sab­bath bells
From tow­ers that were far away.
I then be­came as a lit­tle child,
And I wept, and wept afresh;
For the Lord had tak­en my heart of stone,
And given a heart of flesh.

Still oft I sit with life’s me­mo­ries,
And think of the crys­tal sea;
And I see the thrones of the star-crowned ones;
I know there’s a crown for me.
And when the voice of the Judge says, Come,
Of the Judge on the great white throne—
I know mid the thrones of the star-crowned ones
There’s one I shall call my own.