Scripture Verse

Come over to Macedonia and help us. Acts 16:9

Introduction

Words: J. Wake­field Mac­Gill (1829–1902).

Music: La­ment har­mo­ny by El­la W. Mac­Gill (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of El­la Mac­gill (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
J. Wakefield MacGill
(1829–1902)

Lyrics

Hear the wail across the sea
Comes from mill­ions unto thee—
Weary ones who might be free
Did they but know of Cal­va­ry.

Refrain

Wailing, wail­ing o’er the sea;
Wailing, wail­ing un­to thee;
Wailing, wail­ing to be free;
Go, tell them all of Cal­va­ry.

Hear the wail of brok­en hearts
Rise from sla­ve­ry’s cru­el marts!
There’s a balm for bit­ter smarts—
The balm that’s found at Cal­va­ry.

Refrain

Wailing of the pro­phet cursed,
Of fa­na­tics, wild­est, worst,
Help us, Lord, their chains to burst,
And set them free by Cal­va­ry.

Refrain

Hear the wail from priest-crushed lands,
Man’s de­vice for God’s com­mands—
Forms at count­less as the sands
Have blocked the way to Cal­va­ry.

Refrain

Wailings reach this fa­vored shore,
Wailings ceas­ing ne­ver­more;
Men are dy­ing ev­er­more;
Go, tell them all of Cal­va­ry.

Refrain