The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Leader of faithful souls, and Guide
Of all that travel to the sky,
Come, and with us, even us abide,
Who would on Thee alone rely:
On Thee alone our spirits stay,
While held in life's uneven way.

Strangers and pilgrims here below,
This earth, we know, is not our place;
And hasten through the vale of woe,
And restless to behold Thy face,
Swift to our heavenly country move,
Our everlasting home above.

We have no 'biding city here,
But seek a city out of sight:
Thither our steady course we steer,
Aspiring to the plains of light,
Jerusalem, the saints' abode,
Whose Founder is the living God.

Patient the' appointed race to run,
This weary world we cast behind;
From strength to strength we travel on,
The New Jerusalem to find,
Our labour this, our only aim,
To find the New Jerusalem.

Thither in all our thoughts we tend,
And still with longing eyes look up,
Our hearts and prayers before us send,
Our ready scouts of faith and hope,

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Who bring us news of Sion near,
We soon shall see the towers appear.

Through Thee, who all our sins hast borne,
Freely and graciously forgiven,
With songs to Sion we return,
Contending for our native heaven,
That palace of our glorious King,
We find it nearer while we sing.

Even now we taste the pleasures there,
A cloud of spicy odours comes,
Soft wafted by the balmy air,
Sweeter than Araby's perfumes:
From Sion's top the breezes blow,
And cheer us in the vale below.

Raised by the breath of Love Divine
We urge our way with strength renew'd;
The church of the first-born to join,
We travel to the mount of God,
With joy upon our heads arise,
And meet our Captain in the skies.

University of Virginia Library

HYMN XLI. THE TRAVELLER.