1. Long upon the mountains, weary,
Have the scatter’d flock been torn;
Dark the desert paths, and dreary,
Grievous trials they have borne.
2. Now the gath’ring call is sounding,
Solemn in its warning voice;
Union, faith and love abounding,
Bid the little flock rejoice.
3. Now the light of truth they’re seeking,
In its onward track pursue;
All the ten commandments keeping,
They are holy, just and true.
4. On the words of life they’re feeding,
Precious to their taste so sweet;
All their Master’s precepts heeding,
Bowing humbly at his feet.
5. In that world of light and beauty,
In that Golden City fair,
Soon it’s pearly gates they’ll enter,
And of all its glories share.
6. There divine the soul’s expansions;
Free from sin, and death, and pain;
Tears will never dim those mansions
Where the saints immortal reign.
7. Soon, He comes! with clouds descending!
All his saints, entomb’d arise;
The redeem’d in anthems blending,
Shouts of vict’ry through the skies.
8. O! we long for thine appearing,
Come, O Saviour! quickly come!
Blessed hope! our spirits cheering,
Take thy ransom’d children home.
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The text is from Adventist pioneer and poet, Annie Smith. It is sometimes listed under the title, Long Upon the Mountains.
The tune was take from a Latvian folksong.
The following comments are from John Thurber, as quoted on the website: remnant-online.com
Annie Smith wrote this hymn to describe the experience of the early Seventh-day Adventists, and encourage their hearts by hope of the second coming of the Great Shepherd to gather His flock.
It appeared in the Review and Herald of December 9, 1851 with the heading from Ezekiel 34:12 “So will I seek out My sheep, and will deliver out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.”
This hymn was sung at the first General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, held at Battle Creek Michigan, on May 20, 1863. It has been in seven previous SDA hymnals.
Tags: Commandments, Flock, New Jerusalem, Remnant, Second Advent
