Come Forth and Bring Your Garlands

Come forth and bring your gar­lands

Come forth with praise and song;

Enwreath the al­tars with your flow’rs

And to the tem­ples throng;

For ’tis the glor­ious Easter!

A day for pray­er and praise

When all who love the Savior

May join our glad­some lays.

We know that sin and sor­row

At times must sha­dow all;

And Death’s dark man­tle cov­er

The earth

as with a pall;

Yet still—as o’er our Sav­ior—

Bright an­gels vi­gils keep

Within the tomb

and hov­er

Where our be­loved ones sleep!

And as our Lord and Sav­ior

Came forth from out the tomb

And walk­ing in the gar­den’s shade

Dispelled its som­ber gloom;

So now we feel His pre­sence

And still we hear His voice

Who said to Ma­ry

Do not fear!

Behold Me and re­joice!

Yea! Christ the Lord is ris­en!

Oh! grace and truth di­vine!

Enfold us in Thy pre­sence

Within our spir­its shine;

Uphold

and cheer

and guide us!

That we may tru­ly say —

To us the Lord is ris’n in­deed

This glor­ious East­er Day!