Scripture Verse

Come, for all things are now ready. Luke 14:17

Introduction

portrait
Lewis T. Hartsough (1828–1919)

Words: Lew­is T. Hart­sough, in Pil­grims’ Songs, ed­it­ed by Will­iam Brad­bu­ry (New York: Ivi­son, Phin­ney, 1863), pag­es 57 & 68.

Music: Round Rock Will­iam B. Brad­bu­ry (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
William Bradbury
(1816–1868)

Lyrics

Let me go where saints are go­ing,
To the man­sions of the blest;
Let me go where my Re­deem­er
Has pre­pared His peo­ple’s rest.
I would gain the realms of bright­ness,
Where they dwell for­ev­er­more;
I would join the friends that wait me,
Over on the oth­er shore.

Refrain

Let me go, ’tis Je­sus calls me,
Let me gain the realms of day;
Bear me ov­er, an­gel pin­ions,
Longs my soul to be away.

Let me go where none are weary,
Where is raised no wail of woe;
Let me go and bathe my spir­it,
In the rap­tures an­gels know.
Let me go, for bliss eter­nal
Lures my soul away, away,
And the vic­tor’s song tri­um­phant
Thrills my heart; I can­not stay.

Refrain

Let me go, why should I tar­ry?
What has earth to bind me here?
What but cares and toils and sor­rows?
What but death and pain and fear?
Let me go, for hopes most cher­ished,
Blasted round me oft­en lie.
O! I’ve gathered bright­est flowers,
But to see them fade and die.

Refrain

Let me go where tears and sigh­ing,
Are for ev­er­more un­known,
Where the joy­ous songs of glo­ry
Call me to a hap­pi­er home.
Let me go—I’d cease this dy­ing,
I would gain life’s fair­er plains;
Let me join the my­ri­ad harp­ers,
Let me chant their rap­tur­ous strains.

Refrain

Let me go, there is a glo­ry
That my soul hath longed to know,
I am thirst­ing for the wa­ters,
That from crys­tal fount­ains flow.
There is where the an­gels tar­ry,
There the saved for­ev­er throng;
There the bright­ness wea­ries ne­ver,
There I’ll sing re­demp­tion’s song.

Refrain