Scripture Verse

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Luke 13:24

Introduction

Words & Mu­sic: James Mc­Gran­ahan, 1887 (🔊 pdf nwc). The song is an­no­tat­ed Sub­ject from M. E. I.

portrait
James McGranahan
(1840–1907)
Wikipedia

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An ac­tive min­is­ter in the West in his boy­hood at­tend­ed our meet­ings in Ma­di­son Square Gar­den, and he says that his soul was thrilled by the sing­ing there. He writes to me, al­so, of this per­son­al ex­pe­ri­ence: “I was pas­sing through a town where I was known. At the close of a ser­vice which I had at­tend­ed the min­is­ter asked me to sing a so­lo. Pick­ing up ‘Gos­pel Hymns,’ I sang,

Some one will enter the pear­ly gates—
By and by, by and by…
Shall you? Shall I?

In the au­di­ence was a well edu­cat­ed man, clear­ly un­der the in­flu­ence of li­quor. He af­ter­ward said that he for­got or failed to hear the ve­ry able se­rmon. But he heard the song; and for days af­ter Shall you? Shall I? kept ring­ing in his ears, un­til he fin­al­ly had to give his heart to God. He is now a faith­ful min­is­ter in the Me­tho­dist church.

Sankey, pp. 240–41

Lyrics

Some one will en­ter the pear­ly gates—
By and by, by and by,
Taste of the glo­ries that there await,
Shall you? shall I? Shall you? shall I?
Someone will tra­vel the streets of gold,
Beautiful vi­sions will there be­hold,
Feast on the plea­sures so long fore­told:
Shall you? shall I? Shall you? shall I?

Someone will glad­ly his cross lay down
By and by, by and by,
Faithful ap­proved, shall re­ceive a crown,
Shall you? shall I? Shall you? shall I?
Someone the glo­ri­ous King will see,
Ever from sor­row of earth be free,
Happy with Him thro’ eter­ni­ty:
Shall you? shall I? Shall you? shall I?

Someone will knock when the door is shut
By and by, by and by,
Hear a voice say­ing, I know you not,
Shall you? shall I? Shall you? shall I?
Someone will call and shall not be heard,
Vainly will strive when the door is barred,
Someone will fail of the saint’s re­ward:
Shall you? shall I? Shall you? shall I?

Someone will sing the tri­um­phant song
By and by, by and by,
Join in the praise with the blood-bought throng,
Shall you? shall I? Shall you? shall I?
Someone will greet on the gold­en shore
Loved ones of earth who have gone be­fore,
Safe in the glo­ry for­ev­er­more:
Shall you? shall I? Shall you? shall I?