Beauteous are the flowers of earth,
Flowers we bring with holy mirth,
Bright and sweet and gay;
Will our Father deign to own
Gifts we lay before His throne,
On this happy day?

Yes, He will; for all things bright
Are most precious in His sight,
And He loves to see
Children come with flowers for Him
Whom the flaming seraphim
Worship ceaselessly.

Yes, He will; for children’s love
Makes this world like Heaven above,
Where no evil reigns,
And where all unite to bring
Purest offerings, and sing
Love’s unending strains.

Yes, He will; for hearts that turn
To the sick and poor, and learn
How to make them glad,
Shine like beacons on the strand
Of the far-off, happy land,
To the lost and sad.

So our lowly gifts to Thee,
Lord of earth and sky and sea,
Thou wilt kindly take;
Every little flower we bring,
Every simple hymn we sing,
And not one forsake.

Come home, come home, my child, O where art thou?
Break, break the chain that holds the captive now;
A mother’s heart is yearning still for thee,
And pleads in tears, “Come home, my child, to me.”

Refrain

Come home, come home,
O wand’ring child, come home;
From those who love thee well,
Why longer roam?

O blessèd time, when thou wast young and fair;
When days were bright, nor filled with anxious care:
Bright were my hopes of future years for thee,
But still I hope thou wilt come back to me.

Refrain

Canst thou, my child, forget a mother’s prayer,
Her tender love, her long unwearied care?
Come back, my child, whate’er thy faults may be;
I love thee still, and ever pray for thee.

Refrain

Come unto Jesus, all ye that labor,
All that are weary, sad and oppressed;
Still He is calling, oh, friend and neighbor,
“Come unto Me, and I will give you rest.”

Refrain

Down thro’ the ages, sweetly ’tis ringing,
This word of Jesus, come and be blest ;
Sweeter than carols, angels are singing,
“Come unto Me, and I will give you rest.”

Bring Him the burden, heavily pressing,
Tell Him the sorrows hid in your breast;
Sin and transgression, freely confessing,
Come unto Him, and He will give you rest.

Refrain

Lose not a moment, haste to your Savior,
Ere the bright day-beams fade in the west;
Asking His mercy, seeking His favor,
Come unto Him, and He will give you rest.

Refrain

Come unto Jesus, Savior and Brother,
Surely you need Him, purest and best;
Truer than father, fonder than mother,
Come unto Him, and He will give you rest.

Refrain

Ever would I fain be reading
In the ancient holy Book,
Of my Savior’s gentle pleading,
Truth in every word and look.

How when children came He blessed them,
Suffered no man to reprove,
Took them in His arms, and pressed them
To His heart with words of love.

How to all the sick and tearful
Help was ever gladly shown;
How He sought the poor and fearful,
Called them brothers and His own.

How no contrite soul e’er sought Him,
And was bidden to depart,
How with gentle words He taught him,
Took the death from out his heart.

Still I read the ancient story,
And my joy is ever new,
How for us He left His glory,
How He still is kind and true.

How the flock He gently leadeth
Whom His Father gave Him here;
How His arms He widely spreadeth
To His heart to draw us near.

Let me kneel, my Lord, before Thee,
Let my heart in tears o’erflow,
Melted by Thy love adore Thee,
Blest in Thee ’mid joy or woe!

I come to Thee, O blessèd Lord,
Invited by Thy gracious Word
To this Thy feast, to sup with Thee;
Grant that a worthy guest I be.

I come to Thee with sin and grief,
For Thou alone canst give relief.
Thy death for me, dear Lord, I plead:
O Jesus, help me in my need!

Shouldst Thou a strict account demand,
Who could, O Lord, before Thee stand?
Purge all my secret sins away:
Be Thou, O Christ, the sinner’s Stay!

O Jesus, Lamb of God, alone
Thou didst for all our sins atone;
Though I have sinned and gone astray,
Turn not, O Lord, Thy guest away.

O Jesus, Lamb of God, alone
Thou didst for all our sins atone;
Be merciful, I Thee implore,
Be merciful forevermore.

Come to the Father’s house,
Come ere the day be gone;
Tempests are gath’ring fast,
Darkness is coming on.

Refrain

Fly, for the tempest is coming,
Sweeping the fields of sin;
Knock at the portals of mercy,
Jesus will let you in.

Look at the weary way,
Look where thy feet have trod,
Finding no rest nor peace,
Wand’ring away from God.

Refrain

Haste from the fields of sin,
Fly for thy life today;
Come to our Father’s house;
Enter the narrow way.

Refrain

Listen to the blessèd invitation,
Sweeter than the notes of angel song,
Chiming softly with a heav’nly cadence,
Calling to the passing throng.

Refrain

Him that cometh unto Me.
Him that cometh unto Me,
Him that cometh unto Me,
I will not ever cast out.

Weary toiler, sad and heavy laden,
Joyfully the great salvation see;
Close beside thee stands the Burden Bearer,
Strong to bear thy load and thee.

Refrain

Come, ye thirsty, to the living waters,
Hungry, come and on His bounty feed;
Not thy fitness is the plea to bring Him,
But thy pressing utmost need.

Refrain

“Him that cometh,” blind or maimed or sinful,
Coming for His healing touch divine,
For the cleansing of the blood so precious,
Prove anew this gracious line.

Refrain

Coming humbly, daily to this Savior,
Breathing all the heart to Him in prayer;
Coming some day to the heav’nly mansions,
He will give thee welcome there.

Refrain

O precious word that Jesus said!
The soul that comes to Me,
I will in no wise cast him out,
Whoever he may be.
Whoever he may be,
Whoever he may be,
I will in no wise cast him out,
Whoever he may be.

O precious word that Jesus said!
Behold, I am the Door;
And all who enter in by Me
Have life forevermore.
Have life forevermore,
Have life forevermore,
And all who enter in by Me
Have life forevermore.

O precious word that Jesus said!
Come, weary souls oppressed,
Come take My yoke and learn of Me,
And I will give you rest.
And I will give you rest,
And I will give you rest,
Come take my yoke and learn of Me,
And I will give you rest.

O precious word that Jesus said!
The world I overcame;
And they who follow where I lead
Shall conquer in My Name.
Shall conquer in My Name,
Shall conquer in My Name,
And they who follow where I lead
Shall conquer in My Name.

Terrible thought! shall I alone—
Who may be saved—Shall I
Of all, alas! whom I have known,
Through sin for ever die?

While all my old companions dear,
With whom I once did live,
Joyful at God’s right hand appear,
A blessing to receive.

Shall I, amidst a ghastly band,
Dragged to the judgment seat,
Far on the left with horror stand,
My fearful doom to meet?

Ah, no! I still may turn and live,
For still His wrath delays;
He now vouchsafes a kind reprieve,
And offers me His grace.

I will accept His offers now,
From every sin depart,
Perform my oft-repeated vow
And render Him my heart.

I will improve what I receive,
The grace through Jesus giv’n;
Sure, if with God on earth I live,
To live with Him in Heav’n.