Scripture Verse

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. 1 Corinthians 2:9

Introduction

Words: George P. Beard, in Songs of the Cen­tu­ry, ed­it­ed by George D. El­der­kin, John R. Swe­ney & Will­iam J. Kirk­pat­rick (Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: George D. El­der­kin, 1900).

Music: Guay­a­be­ra B. Frank­lin Butts (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

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

Origin of the Hymn

This hymn was in­spired by the dy­ing words of ev­an­gel­ist Dwight L. Moody, re­cord­ed by his son:

About six o clock he qui­et­ed down, and soon fell into a na­tu­ral sleep, from which he awoke in about an hour. Sud­den­ly he was heard speak­ing in slow and mea­sured words. He was say­ing: Earth re­cedes; Hea­ven op­ens be­fore me. The first im­pulse was to try to arouse him from what ap­peared to be a dream. No, this is no dream, Will, he re­plied. It is beau­ti­ful. It is like a trance. If this is death, it is sweet. There is no val­ley here. God is call­ing me, and I must go.

William Re­vell Moody, The Life of Dwight L. Moo­dy (Flem­ing H. Re­vell, 1900), p. 552

Lyrics

Beautiful city, the home of the blest,
Beautiful mansions where weary shall rest,
Beautiful river of life, ne­ver old,
Beautiful streets of the purest of gold.

Refrain

Oh, it is beau­ti­ful! Eye hath not seen,
Neither hath ear heard the heavenly theme;
Oh, it is beau­ti­ful! All I have seen,
Thrilling my soul with the heavenly theme.

Beautiful angels around the white throne,
Beautiful children for­ev­er our own,
Beautiful sainted, enrobed in pure white,
Beautiful Sav­ior, refulgent with light.

Refrain

Beautiful service of worship in song,
Beautiful family—perfectly one,
Beautiful harmony—living in love,
Beautiful scenes that await us above.

Refrain

Beautiful greeting when friend meeteth friend,
Beautiful meeting that ne­ver shall end,
Beautiful day, with no shadow of night,
Beautiful vision, eternally bright.

Refrain