They’re ga­th­er­ing home­ward from ev­ery land,
One by one! one by one!
As their wea­ry feet touch the shin­ing strand,
Yes, one by one!
They rest with the Sav­ior, they wait their crown,
Their tra­vel-stained gar­ments are all laid down;
They wait the white rai­ment the Lord shall pre­pare
For all who the glo­ry with Him shall share.

Refrain

Gathering home! ga­th­er­ing home!
Fording the ri­ver one by one!
Gathering home, ga­ther­ing home,
Yes, one by one!

Before they rest they pass thro’ the strife,
One by one! one by one!
Thro’ the wa­ters of death they en­ter life,
Yes, one by one!
To some are the floods of the ri­ver still,
As they ford on their way to the hea­ven­ly hill;
The waves to oth­ers run fierce­ly and wild,
Yet they reach the home of the un­de­filed.

Refrain

We too must come to the ri­ver­side,
One by one! one by one!
We are near­er its wa­ters each ev­en­tide,
Yes, one by one!
We can hear the noise of the dash­ing stream,
Oft now and again, thro’ our life’s deep dream;
Sometimes the dark floods all the banks ov­er­flow,
Sometimes in rip­ples and small waves go.

Refrain

Oh, Je­sus, Re­deem­er, we look to Thee,
One by one! one by one!
We lift up our voic­es trem­bling­ly,
Yes, one by one!
The waves of the ri­ver are dark and cold,
But we know the place where our feet shall hold;
O Thou who didst pass thro’ the deep­est mid­night,
Now guide us, and send us the staff and light.

Refrain