Scripture Verse

Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray Thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. 2 Kings 6:17

Introduction

Words & Mu­sic: Charles E. Poll­ock, in The Best Gos­pel Songs and Their Com­pos­ers (Dal­ton, Geor­gia: An­tho­ny J. Sho­wal­ter, 1904), num­ber 42 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

’Tis but a veil that hangs be­tween
The un­seen world and this,
And hides from view the saint­ed forms,
The world of per­fect bliss.

Refrain

When the veil is lift­ed,
In the by and by,
Scenes of won­drous beau­ty
Will greet the rap­tured eye;
Forms of cher­ished loved ones,
Hosts of an­gels bright,
When the veil is lift­ed,
Will dawn up­on our sight.

To calm the ser­vant’s need­less fears,
God drew this veil aside;
When all about Eli­sha, lo!
A migh­ty host he spied.

Refrain

Departing saints such scenes be­hold,
As in death’s arms they sink;
May Hea­ven not be near us now?
E’en near­er than we think?

Refrain