Scripture Verse

I will arise and go to my father. Luke 15:18

Introduction

Words: Ano­ny­mous, in One Hun­dred Se­lect Gos­pel Hymns, by Ira D. San­key (Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Big­low & Main, 1883). The au­thor was said to have been a young Scot­tish la­dy. Va­ri­ous sourc­es give the au­thor’s ini­tials as A. N. or S. M. J.

Music: James Mc­Gra­na­han (🔊 pdf nwc).

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James McGranahan
(1840–1907)
Wikipedia

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Anecdote

A wild young sol­dier was in­duced to at­tend a Gos­pel meet­ing in Lon­don. As he en­tered, the con­gre­ga­tion was sing­ing, Are you com­ing Home to-night. The song made a deep im­pres­sion up­on him. He came back the next night, and he con­tin­ued to at­tend un­til he was saved. I had to come, he said; that hymn would not let me stay away. I could not sleep at night. All night long that quest­ion of the song, both in the words and the mu­sic, kept re­turn­ing to me, de­mand­ing an an­swer: Are you com­ing Home to-night?

Sankey, p. 114

Lyrics

Are you com­ing home, ye wan­d’rers,
Whom Je­sus died to win,
All foot­sore, lame and wea­ry,
Your gar­ments stained with sin;
Will you seek the blood of Je­sus
To wash your gar­ments white?
Will you trust His pre­cious pro­mise,
Are you com­ing home to­night?

Refrain

Are you com­ing home to­night,
Are you com­ing home to­night,
Are you com­ing home to Je­sus,
Out of dark­ness in­to light?
Are you com­ing home to­night,
Are you com­ing home to­night,
To your lov­ing, heav’n­ly Fa­ther,
Are you com­ing home to­night?

Are you com­ing home, ye lost ones?
Behold your Lord doth wait;
Come, then no long­er ling­er,
Come ere it be too late;
Will you come and let Him save you,
O trust His love and might;
Will you come while He is call­ing,
Are you com­ing home to­night?

Refrain

Are you com­ing home, ye guil­ty,
Who bear the load of sin;
Outside you’ve long been stand­ing,
Come now and ven­ture in;
Will you heed the Sav­ior’s pro­mise,
And dare to trust Him quite;
Come un­to Me, sa­ith Je­sus,
Are you com­ing home to­night?

Refrain