Scripture Verse

I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Revelation 20:12

Introduction

portrait
George C. Hugg
1848–1907

Words: Em­ma Tif­fa­ny, in Light in the Val­ley (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: George C. Hugg, 1898), page 124.

Music: George C. Hugg (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

The testing time is very near,
When at Christ’s bar we must appear;
Must appear, must appear,
When at Christ’s bar we must appear.

Refrain

Oh, my soul, art thou ready to appear
At the bar, when the judgment day is here?
With no counsel at thy side,
When the book is opened wide,
Oh, my soul, art thou ready to appear?

Our secret thoughts will then be known,
We cannot then for sin atone;
Sin atone, sin atone,
We cannot then for sin atone.

Refrain

We then may call, but all in vain,
Too late! our guilt will still remain;
Still remain, still remain,
Too late! our guilt will still remain.

Refrain

O sinner, come, e’er Heaven’s door
Is closed, to open nevermore;
Nevermore, nevermore,
Is closed, to open nevermore.

Refrain

Then when the testing time doth come
You’ll find in Heav’n sweet rest and home;
Rest and home, rest and home,
You’ll find in Heav’n sweet rest and home.

Refrain