On the Far Off Shore

On the far off shore they’ll greet us

Forms that we have loved be­fore;

In their spot­less robes they’ll meet us

Singing wel­come

ev­er­more!

There

a ser­aph band

they wan­der

Where the pas­tures green un­fold;

And the crys­tal streams me­an­der

Over sands of shin­ing gold.

On the far off shore they’ll meet us

Forms that we have loved be­fore;

And with songs of wel­come greet us

Welcome! wel­come! ev­er­more.

There

per­chance

a saint­ed mo­ther

Sings the songs we loved of old

As she leads an an­gel bro­ther

Sweetest lamb of all the fold;

Or a sis­ter long de­part­ed

With a glo­ry on her face

Sends to us

the wea­ry heart­ed

Messages of love and grace.

Where the waters bright­ly spark­le

In the gold­en ci­ty’s light

Will no sha­dow ev­er dark­le

And no chang­ing sea­sons blight;

Trees of fade­less beau­ty quiv­er

Where the blos­soms kiss the tide

As along the shin­ing riv­er

Songs of wel­come sweet­ly glide.

There

be­side that bal­my riv­er

Sorrow

toil and pain shall cease

And our hearts shall rest for­ev­er

’Neath the ca­no­py of peace.

Glad

in­deed will be the meet­ing

On that far off

bliss­ful shore

When the Sav­ior’s ten­der greet­ing

Bids us wel­come

ev­er­more.