Scripture Verse

The day is almost over. Luke 24:29

Introduction

Words: Je­re­mi­ah E. Ran­kin, in Songs of the Gold­en Shore, ed­it­ed by Da­ni­el F. Hodg­es (New York and Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Charles T. Dill­ing­ham and Lee & Shep­ard, 1879), page 13.

Music: Be­ka­si Bren­nie Smith (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
Jeremiah E. Rankin (1828–1904)

Lyrics

Quiet is the hour of ev­en,
Ere the Sab­bath from us part:
E’en as tho’ the ear of Hea­ven
Listened at earth’s beat­ing heart.
Gently round the night is fall­ing,
O’er the si­lent world abroad;
Liquid bells are sweet­ly call­ing
Footsteps to the house of God.

And God’s an­gel still doth lin­ger
Ere he takes from earth his flight:
Pointing with his lift­ed fin­ger
Up the star­ry path of light.
One by one they si­lent ga­ther
Round the sprin­kled mer­cy seat;
One by one they seek the Fa­ther,
Humbly cast at Je­sus’ feet.

On the knee of deep con­tri­tion
Bends each soul in ear­nest pray­er;
On the wings of strong pe­ti­tion
Wafts to God its ev­ery care.
Listen to the bell’s sweet call­ing!
Thus the holy Sab­bath crown!
And as dews are gent­ly fal­ling,
Shall the peace of God come down.