Scripture Verse

Thinking He was the gardener, she said, Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him. John 20:15

Introduction

illustration
The Rhododendron Walk
George Marks
1857–1933

Words & Mu­sic: C. Aus­tin Miles, The Gos­pel Mes­sage No. 2 (New York: Hall-Mack, 1912), num­ber 45 (🔊 pdf nwc). This hymn was sung in the 1984 mo­vie Plac­es in the Heart, which won two Aca­de­my Awards.

portrait
C. Austin Miles
1868–1946

I read…the story of the great­est morn in his­to­ry: The first day of the week com­eth Ma­ry Mag­da­lene ear­ly, while it was yet ve­ry dark, un­to the se­pul­cher.

Instantly, com­plet­ely, there un­fold­ed in my mind the scenes of the garden of Jo­seph…Out of the mists of the gar­den comes a form, halt­ing, he­si­tat­ing, tear­ful, seek­ing, turn­ing from side to side in be­wil­der­ing amaze­ment.

Falteringly, bear­ing grief in ev­ery ac­cent, with tear-dimmed eyes, she whis­pers, If thou hast borne him hence…He speaks, and the sound of His voice is so sweet the birds hush their sing­ing.

Jesus said to her, Ma­ry! Just one word from his lips, and for­got­ten the heart­aches, the long drea­ry hours….all the past blot­ted out in the pre­sence of the Liv­ing Pre­sent and the Eter­nal Fu­ture.

Lyrics

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

Refrain

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

Refrain

I’d stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

Refrain