Book of Worship (Rev. ed.) ‎#583

583. Friend after friend departs

1 Friend after friend departs;
Who hath not lost a friend?
There is no union here of hearts,
That finds not here an end:
Were this frail world our final rest,
Living or dying, none were blest.

2 Beyond the flight of time,
Beyond the reign of death,
There surely is some blesséd clime,
Where life is not a breath,
Nor life's affections transient fire,
Whose sparks fly upward and expire.

3 There is a world above,
Where parting is unknown;
A long eternity of love
Form'd for the good alone;
And faith beholds the dying here
Translated to that glorious sphere.

4 Thus star by star declines,
Till all are pass'd away,
As morning high and higher shines
To pure and perfect day;
Nor sink those stars in empty night,
They hide themselves in heaven's own light.

Text Information

• First Line: Friend after friend departs
• Meter: 6s & 8s.
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1870
• Topic: Bereavement; Eternity; Heaven: Reunion in
• Notes: Author from index: Montgomery

Tune Information

(No tune information)