Scripture Verse

I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Revelation 20:12

Introduction

portrait
Neal A. McAulay
1854–1928

Words: Neal A. Mc­Au­lay, 1904. Pub­lished in The Old Sto­ry in Song, ed­it­ed by Ar­thur S. Ma­gann, Will­iam J. Kirk­pat­rick & Hen­ry L. Gil­mour (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Praise Pub­lish­ing, 1906), num­ber 31. Com­pare Must I Go, and Emp­ty Hand­ed?

Music: John P. Hill­is (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Hil­lis (head-and-shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), would you ?

Lyrics

Will I empty handed be
When beside the crystal sea
I shall stand before the everlasting throne?
Must I have a heart of shame
As I answer to my name,
With no works that my Redeemer there can own?

When the harvest days are past,
Shall I hear Him say at last,
Welcome, toiler, I’ve prepared for thee a place?
Shall I bring Him golden sheaves,
Ripened fruit, not faded leaves,
When I see the blessèd Savior face to face?

When the books are opened wide,
And the deeds of all are tried,
May I have a record whiter than the snow?
When my race on earth is run,
May I hear Him say, Welcome,
Take the crown that Love immortal doth bestow
?