THE CITY ETERNAL by Llewellyn A. Morrison

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Apr 26, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 17.

THE CITY ETERNAL

By Llewellyn A. Morrison

BY LLEWELLYN A. MORRISON (Copyrighted.)

I sing of a city whose luster appearing In vision and story, hath beauty untold; From type and from symbol my soul hath been rearing The mansions of rest by the pathways of gold. At morn, when the brilliance of sun-dawn is shining— At noon, by the banners of cloudland unfurled— At eve, when the splendor my heart is refining, I watch for its coming—the hope of the world.

The travail is over for all who have found it; The toiling is ended and labor is done; The spice-laden mountains of gladness surround it, The meadow lands fragrant in shadow and sun. The gates are of pearl, and the trees by the river Bear fruits for the healing of sorrow and strife. Pure love is the bond of communion forever, And mortals, immortal, have infinite life.

O beautiful City, divine and resplendent! The wealth of all hearts dwelleth in thee alone; A King is thy builder; thy triumphs transcendent; The Lord is thy light, and His Name is thine own; The alms of the pauper, a by-word and wonder, Outshine in thy courts at the end of the days; The saints have been shrived by the blood they came under; And God is thy temple—thy service His praise.

O City, eternal! By faith I behold thee Descending from God without blemish or stain. The greatness and glory of heaven enfold thee, And sinners redeemed are thy victors who reign.

My ransom is counted, my pardon blood-written, And some day the King will in mercy remove My name from the annals defiled and sin-smitten, And find me a home in the City of Love.