Scripture Verse

Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. Mark 12:34

Introduction

Words: Fred­er­ic Smith, cir­ca 1881. Ar­ranged in Gos­pel Hymns No. 5, ed­it­ed by Ira San­key, James Mc­Gra­na­han & George C. Steb­bins (New York; Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio and Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: John Church and Big­low & Main, 1887), num­ber 33, alt.

Music: Ira D. San­key, 1886 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
Ira D. Sankey (1840–1908)

Lyrics

Not far, not far from the king­dom,
Yet in the sha­dow of sin;
How many are com­ing and go­ing!
How few there are en­ter­ing in!

Refrain

How few there are en­ter­ing in!
How few there are en­ter­ing in!
How many are com­ing and go­ing!
How few there are en­ter­ing in!

Not far, not far from the king­dom,
Where voic­es whis­per and wait;
Too ti­mid to en­ter in bold­ly,
So lin­ger still out­side the gate.

Refrain

Away in dark­ness and dan­ger,
All lost in night and the cold;
There Je­sus is wait­ing to lead you
So ten­der­ly in­to His fold.

Refrain

Not far, not far from the king­dom,
So near the end of the race;
But oh, you may still be for­ev­er
Shut out from yon hea­ven­ly place!

Refrain