Scripture Verse

Keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. Matthew 25:13

Introduction

Words: Es­ther Wi­gles­worth (1827–1904).

Music: St. Ca­si­mir, ano­ny­mous, in Car­mi­na for the Sun­day School, by Lew­is W. Mudge & Her­bert B. Tur­ner (New York: A. S. Barnes, 1894), num­ber 58 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know when this hymn was writ­ten, or where to get a good pho­to of Wi­gles­worth (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Little child­ren, Ad­vent bids you
Meet your Lord up­on His way;
Watch, for now the night is wan­ing,
Soon will dawn the end­less day.
Little child­ren, Je­sus bids you
Daily pray, Thy king­dom come;
Watch, and wait for His ap­pear­ing,
Till He come to take you home.

Little child­ren, He an­oints you
With His spir­it from above;
See then that your lamps be burn­ing
With the fire of faith and love.
Little child­ren, when we think not
We shall hear the aw­ful cry,
Go ye forth to meet the Bride­groom;
Haste, for Je­sus draw­eth nigh.

Little child­ren, they shall meet Him,
Faithful child­ren of the light;
They whose lamps are trimmed and burn­ing,
And their gar­ments pure and white.
O how blest to fall be­fore Him,
O how blest His praise to sing.
Love Him, serve Him, and adore Him,
In the ci­ty of our king.