No. 119 To Be With Christ, Rev 14
Hexatonic, mode 2 b (I — 3 IV V 6 7)
This world is beautiful and bright,
O scarce one cloud has dimmed my sky,
And yet no gloomy shades of night
Are gath’ring ’round me though I die;
Yet there’s a lovelier land of light,
Illum’d by Bethle’m’s beaming star;
E’en now it bursts upon my sight,
To be with Christ is better far.
True, life is sweet and friends are dear,
And youth and health are pleasant things;
Yet, leave I all, without a tear,
No sad regret my bosom wrings.
The ties of earth are broken all,
My chainless soul, above yon star,
Shall wing its way beyond recall,
To be with Christ is better far.
And is this death? My soul is calm,
No sting is here, the strife is done;
Glory to God and to the Lamb!
Sweet triumph! I have won, I’ve won!
A crown immortal, robes of white,
For me, for me in waiting are;
Arrayed in glory, clothed in light,
To be with Christ is better far.
One more stanza of the text is in the Revivalist. The tune is notated “as sung by Rev. B. I. Ives.”