A light came out of dark­ness;
No light, no hope had we,
Till Je­sus came from Hea­ven
Our light and hope to be.
Oh, as I read the sto­ry
From birth to dy­ing cry,
A long­ing fills my bo­som
To meet Him by and by.

How ten­der His com­pas­sion
How lov­ing was His call,
How ear­nest His en­trea­ty
To sin­ners, one and all.
He wooed, and won them to Him
By love, and that is why
I long to be like Je­sus,
And meet Him by and by.

Yet deep­er do I pon­der,
His cross and sor­row see,
And ev­er gaze and won­der
Why Je­sus died for me.
And shall I fear to own Him?
Can I my Lord de­ny?
No! let me love Him, serve Him,
And meet Him by and by.