Scripture Verse

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:36

Introduction

Words: Ano­ny­mous, in On Joy­ful Wing, ed­it­ed by John Swe­ney & Will­iam J. Kirk­pat­rick (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: John J. Hood, 1886), num­ber 66.

Music: John R. Swe­ney (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
John R. Sweney (1837–1899)

A young man was work­ing alone in a large room in which was a big clock, the loud tick­ing of which seemed to frame it­self in­to the words, Eter­ni­ty!—where?

Unable to en­dure any long­er the re­flec­tions thus awak­ened, he arose and stopped the clock; but the ques­tion, Eter­ni­ty!—where? still so haunt­ed him, that he threw down his work, and hur­ry­ing home, de­ter­mined that he would not al­low any­thing to en­gage his thoughts till he could sa­tis­fac­to­ri­ly an­swer that search­ing ques­tion, Eter­ni­ty!—where?

Lyrics

Eternity! Where? It floats in the air;
Amid clamor or si­lence it ev­er is there!
The quest­ion so so­lemn—Eternity! Where?
The quest­ion so so­lemn—Eternity! Where?

Eternity! Where? Oh! Eternity! where?
With re­deemed ones in glo­ry? Or fiends in des­pair?
With one or the oth­er—Eternity! Where?
With one or the oth­er—Eternity! Where?

Eternity! Where? Oh! how can you share
The world’s gid­dy plea­sures, or heed­less­ly dare?
Do aught till you set­tle—Eternity! Where?
Do aught till you set­tle—Eternity! Where?

Eternity! Where? Oh! friend, have a care;
Soon God will no long­er His judg­ment for­bear;
This day may de­cide your Eternity! Where?
This day may de­cide your Eternity! Where?

Eternity! Where? Oh! Eter­ni­ty! Where?
Friend, sleep not, nor take in the world any share,
Till you an­swer this quest­ion—Eternity! Where?
Till you an­swer this quest­ion—Eternity! Where?