Scripture Verse

I am the Door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved. John 10:9

Introduction

Words: C. P. Mas­den, in Gems of Praise, ed­it­ed by John Swe­ney (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Me­tho­dist Epis­co­pal Book Room, 1876), page 135.

Music: John R. Swe­ney, 1876 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know Mas­den’s full name, or where to get a good pho­to of him (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
John R. Sweney (1837–1899)

Lyrics

My soul in prison lay,
Held fast by galling chains,
Shut in from light of day,
And all the Gos­pel claims;
No human arm to save,
Was manifest to me;
No rescue from the grave,
No hope of liberty.

Refrain

Jesus, the open Door,
Jesus the way to Heav’n;
Jesus now and ev­er­more;
To Him all praise be giv’n.

While in this wretched state,
God’s message came to me,
It is not yet too late
To seek your liberty;
Rise up, and knock, and call,
His help at once implore;
Prostrate before Him fall:
He is the open Door.

Refrain

I saw the bleeding Lamb,
The wonders of the cross,
I prayed the great I AM
To seek and save the lost;
He pardoned all my sin,
He gave me boundless store;
Yes, Je­sus let me in,
The great and open Door.

Refrain

Within that Door I stand
A child of God and free,
Bound for the glo­ry land
Of immortality;
What comfort do I find,
What prospects lie before,
What promises are mine,
Pleasures for­ev­er­more.

Refrain