Scripture Verse

He carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem. Revelation 21:10

Introduction

Words: Eben E. Rex­ford, in The Ban­ner of Vic­to­ry, by Alon­zo Ab­bey & Mer­ritt J. Mun­ger (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Ol­iv­er Dit­son, 1881), num­ber 43.

Music: Fitch­burg Alon­zo J. Ab­bey, 1881 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
Eben E. Rexford (1848–1916)

Lyrics

Oh, city of the angels!
In dreams divinely sweet,
I pass thy open gateways,
And walk thy golden street;
I join the grand sweet anthems
Before the great white throne;
And I am filled with rapture
That earth has ne­ver known.

Refrain

Oh, city of the angels!
Beyond thy jasper gates,
For all earth’s weary pilgrims
What rest and peace awaits!

Oh, mansions of my Fa­ther!
I enter through thy doors
Of amethyst and jasper,
And tread thy golden floors;
And those who went before me,
And long since ceased to roam,
Cry out in sudden rapture,
Oh, welcome! welcome home!

Refrain

Oh, rest beyond the river!
Thou art not fully won;
I may not share thy rapture
Until my work is done;
When death’s white angel calls me,
And I no longer roam,
Oh, city of the angels,
In thee I’ll find my home!

Refrain