5. How Far From Home

? I asked as on
I bent my steps the watchman spake:-
“The long, dark night is al-most over,
The morning soon will break.
Then weep no more, but speed thy flight,
With hope’s bright star thy guiding ray,
Till thou shall reach the realms of light,
In ev-erlast-ing day.”

I asked the war-rior on the field:
This was his soul-inspring song:
With courage, bold, the sword I’ll wield,
The bat-tle is not long.
Then weep no more, but well en-dure
The con-flict, till thy work is done;
For this we know, the prize is sure,
When vic-to-ry is won.

I asked a-gain; earth, sea and sun
Seemed, with one voice, to make reply:
“Time’s wasting sands are near-ly run,
E-ter-ni-ty is nigh.
Then weep no more-with warning tones
Portentious signs are thick’ning round,
The whole cre-a-tion, wait-ing, groans,
To hear the trumpet sound.”

Not far from home! O blessed thought!
The trav’ler’s lonely heart to cheer;
With oft a heal-ing balm has brought,
And dried the mourner’s tear.
Then weep no more, since we shall meet
Where weary footsteps never roam-
Our tri-als past our joys complete,
Safe in our Father’s home.