Not Far from the Kingdom

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Not far, not far from the kingdom, yet in the shadow of sin (Smith)

Author: Frederic Smith
Published in 45 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, Noteworthy Composer
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 Not far, not far from the kingdom,
Yet in the shadow of sin;
How many coming and going!
But few are entering in!

Refrain:
Not far, not far from the kingdom,
Yet lingering still at the gate;
O wait no longer, dear brother,
But enter ere ‘tis too late.

2 Not far, not far from the gateway,
Where voices whisper and wait;
But fearing to enter in boldly,
They linger still at the gate! [Refrain]

3 They catch the strains of the music,
That floats so sweetly along;
Tho’ knowing the song they are singing,
Yet joining not in the song. [Refrain]

4 They’re in the dark and the danger;
They’re in the night and the cold,
Tho’ He is now longing to lead them
So kindly into the fold. [Refrain]

Source: Worship and Service #144

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Author: Frederic Smith

Smith, Frederic, was born in 1849 at Birmingham, was for many years at Halifax, and now (1906) resides at Bowdon, Cheshire. His collected poems were published in 1896, as A Chest of Viols and other Verses. This includes:— 1. Not far, not far from the Kingdom. [Decision.] Written 1869, and first published in the Congregationalist, again in 1896 as above, p. 56, entitled "Not far." It is given, abridged and altered, marked as "Words arr.," in Sankey's Songs and Solos, 1887, No. 469. 2. O God, not only in distress. [God's Will] Written about 1870, and first, published in Dale's English Hymn Book, 1874, No. 180;-1896, as above, p. 45, headed "Thy Will is done." Recently in Worship Song, 1905, and others. --John Julian,… Go to person page >

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First Line:	Not far, not far from the kingdom, yet in the shadow of sin (Smith)
Title:	Not Far from the Kingdom
Author:	Frederic Smith
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	How few there are entering in!
Copyright:	Public Domain