Scripture Verse

The Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces. Isaiah 25:8

Introduction

portrait
Rufus H. Cornelius (1872–1933)

Words: John­son Oat­man, Jr., 1904. Ap­peared in Last­ing Hymns No. 2, ed­it­ed by John A. Lee (Glen­coe, Ken­tuc­ky: John A. Lee, 1906). Com­pare Tell Mo­ther I’ll Be There.

Music: Ru­fus H. Cor­ne­li­us (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a bet­ter pho­to of Oat­man or Cor­ne­li­us,

portrait
Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1856–1922)

Lyrics

If you reach the gates be­fore me
To the land of end­less day,
To that home that is for­ev­er bright and fair,
When my fa­ther and my mo­ther
Ask you if I’m on the way,
You may tell my dear old par­ents I’ll be there.

Refrain

You may tell them I’ll be there,
That the Lord has heard
And an­swered ev­ery pray­er;
Yes, be sure to give this mes­sage
When they meet you at the gate;
You may tell my dear old par­ents I’ll be there.

Thro’ my mind there steals a pic­ture
Of a fire­side warm and bright,
I can see my mo­ther in her old arm­chair;
I can hear my fath­er pray­ing
That I might be led aright,
And reach home at last in an­swer to his pray­er.

Refrain

Then my home was almost hea­ven,
Tho’ but hum­ble at its best,
But to me it was most beau­ti­ful and fair;
O what will it be in Hea­ven,
In those man­sions of the blest,
When with fa­ther and with mo­ther I’ll be there.

Refrain

Then no mat­ter what the jour­ney,
Tho’ the way be dark or bright,
I will push ahead with hope, and not des­pair;
For I soon will join my loved ones
In that land of love and light,
Then be sure to tell my pa­rents I’ll be there.

Refrain