Scripture Verse

Narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it. Matthew 7:14

Introduction

Words: El­la E. Miles, in Ca­rols of Hope (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Ad­vent Chris­tian Pub­li­ca­tion So­cie­ty, 1906), page 115.

Music: Rasht Fred­er­ick S. Stan­ton, Sr. (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

Where are they go­ing—
These swift, rest­less feet?
Where are they bear­ing
The crowd that we meet?
Here, and now there
They pass quick­ly along;
Which way will they car­ry
The fast, chang­ing throng?

Where are they goi­ng?
On mis­sions of love,
Spreading the tid­ings
Of Je­sus above?
Bearing some one
Who will glad­ly repeat
Stories of mer­cy,
So won­drous­ly sweet?

Where are they go­ing?
Two paths lie be­fore,
One or the other
We all must pass o’er;
Broad one of death—
That is crowd­ed to­day—
Narrow, of life,
But so few on the way.

Where are they go­ing?
O say, lit­tle one,
Over which way
Will thy ten­der feet run?
Life’s jour­ney start­ing,
With steps all ahead—
Where are they go­ing?
Which path will you tread?