Scripture Verse

To live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

Introduction

portrait
John Goss
1800–1880

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Fun­er­al Hymns, 1st Ser­ies 1744.

Music: St. Cy­pri­an (Goss) John Goss (1800–1880) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

portrait
Charles Wesley
1707–1788

Background

The Rev. Hen­ry Moore says that the po­et in his old age rode a lit­tle horse, grey with age, which was brought ev­ery morn­ing from the Foun­de­ry to his house in Ches­ter­field Street, Ma­ry­le­bone.

He would jot down any thoughts that struck him, in shor­thand, on a card which he had in his pock­et. Not in­fre­quent­ly he has come to our house in the Ci­ty Road, and, hav­ing left the po­ny in the gar­den in front, he would en­ter, cry­ing out, Pen and ink! pen and ink! These be­ing sup­plied, he wrote the hymn he had been com­pos­ing.

When this was done, he would look round on those pre­sent, and sa­lute them with much kind­ness, ask af­ter their health, give out a short hymn, and thus put all in mind of eter­ni­ty. He was fond up­on these oc­ca­sions of gi­ving out the lines There all the ship’s com­pa­ny meet.

Telford, p. 423

Lyrics

Weep not for a brother deceased;
Our loss is his infinite gain;
A soul out of prison released,
And freed from its bodily chain;
With songs let us follow his flight,
And mount with his spirit above,
Escaped to the mansions of light,
And lodged in the Eden of love.

Our brother the haven has gained,
Outflying the tempest and wind;
His rest he hath sooner obtained,
And left his companions behind,
Still tossed on a sea of distress,
Hard toiling to make the blest shore,
Where all is assurance and peace,
And sorrow and sin are no more.

There all the ship’s company meet,
Who sailed with the Savior beneath,
With shouting each other they greet,
And triumph o’er sorrow and death;
The voyage of life’s at an end;
The mortal affliction is past;
The age that in Heaven they spend,
Forever and ever shall last.