Scripture Verse

We have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Corinthians 5:1

Introduction

portrait
Elisha Hoffman (1839–1929)

Words: E. A. Fer­ger­son. Ar­ranged and pub­lished in The Chris­tian Church Hym­nal, ed­it­ed by Har­vey R. Chris­tie (Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio: Stand­ard Pub­lish­ing, 1906), num­ber 400. Com­pare Not Made with Hands (Brown).

Music: Ar­ranged by Eli­sha A. Hoff­man, 1903 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

Christ Je­sus went a build­ing to pre­pare
In Heav’n’s fair lands,
And it will be decked with jew­els rare
Not made with hands.

Refrain

I know, I know
In Heav’n for me a man­sion stands
A home, a home
Not made with hands.

Look yon­der and a man­sion you can see,
All fair it stands,
A beau­ti­ful home pre­pared for me
Not made with hands.

Refrain

I’ve ne­ver been to Hea­ven, but I’m told
In those fair lands
The streets are all paved with shin­ing gold,
Not made with hands.

Refrain

The ho­ly angels, beau­ti­ful and bright,
Dwell in those lands,
And soon we shall reach that home of light
Not made with hands.

Refrain

Some of my friends have jour­neyed on before,
From earth’s dark lands,
To dwell in that home for­ev­er­more
Not made with hands.

Refrain

Some morn­ing fair, some bright and gold­en day,
When God com­mands,
I’ll go to the home not far away
Not made with hands.

Refrain