The First and Last Call

Sinner

why so id­ly stand­ing

By the mar­ket place

While the Lord

your heart de­mand­ing

Calls you by His grace?

Life is in the ro­sy morn­ing

Toils and cares are light

Do not wait

the mes­sage scorn­ing;

Turn to Christ to­night.

Jesus calls again in kind­ness

Speaks in ten­der­est tone

To your soul

so full of blind­ness

Weary

sad and lone.

Life is in the gold­en mid­day

Half your years are sped

Mercy can­not warn you al­way;

O to peace be led.

Still again the in­vi­ta­tion

Comes in heav’n­ly love

Telling of a free sal­va­tion

And a home above.

Life is in the crim­son twi­light

Cometh fast the gloom;

Soon the bells will toll the mid­night

Then the change­less doom.

Now the last sweet mes­sage sound­eth

O so ear­nest­ly

Proving still that grace abound­eth

Lost one

come to Me.

Life is in the so­lemn mid­night

’Tis the last ap­peal;

Yield your heart

sub­dued and con­trite

Ere re­morse you feel.

Then

alas

the fin­al part­ing

For eter­nal years

While from ev­ery eye­lid start­ing

Fall the blind­ing tears;

Part with­out a hope of meet­ing

Parent

child or friend

Never more to hear a greet­ing

Nor a mes­sage send.