Behold that mo­ther’s way­ward boy,
Preparing home to leave;
He does not heed her lov­ing words,
Or fail her heart to grieve.
On rov­ing bent, he lit­tle now
For her af­fec­tion cares,
And cru­el­ly for­sakes her, yet
She fol­lows with her pray­ers.

Refrain

Gone, gone, she knows not where,
And yet her love he shares;
Forgotten ne­ver, he’s fol­lowed ev­er
By a faith­ful mo­ther’s pray­ers.

The months roll on, she anx­ious waits,
But tid­ings do not come;
Engrossed in sin, the err­ing boy
Sends not a mes­sage home.
O does he live? And if he does,
She knows not how he fares;
What dread sus­pense! yet faith­ful still,
She up­ward sends her pray­ers.

Refrain

Think you the God of all the earth
Hears not that mo­ther’s cry?
Think you He will not find her boy
Ere he in sin shall die?
Tho’ he may roam in ma­ny lands,
And fall by sin­ful snares,
Will God not sure­ly hon­or yet
That faith­ful mother’s pray­ers?

Refrain

Perchance some soul, this ve­ry hour,
Recalls an ear­ly vow;
Perchance some mo­ther, far away,
To God is pray­ing now;
O, wea­ry, hea­vy bur­dened one,
On Je­sus cast your cares;
And find the heav’n­ly re­fuge thro’
A faith­ful mo­ther’s pray­er.

Refrain