Go ahead and advance on now.
We're now racing by prayers
we trust you'll enjoy.
I was walking in Savannah
past a church decayed and dimmed
When slowly through the window
came a plaintive funeral hymn,
My sympathy awakened
an d a wonder quickly grew
Until I found myself seated
in a little old church pew.
Out front a lonely couple
sat in sorrow nearly wild
On the altar was a casket
and in the casket was a child
I could picture him while living,
curly hair, smiley lips.
I'd seen perhaps a thousand
in my hurried southern trips.
Then rose a sad little country preacher
from a wooden desk
In a manner sort of awkward
and continent's coquettish.
And he said, now don't go weeping
for this pretty bit of clay
For the little boy who lived there
has gone and run away
He was doing very fine
and he appreciated your love
But the Heavenly Father wanted him
in that big house up above
The Lord didn't give you that baby
by a hundred thousand miles
He just thought you needed
a little sunshine
and he lent it for a while
And he'd let you keep and love him
until your hearts were big or grown
And these silver tears
that you're shedding now
are just interest on the loan
Just think, my poor dear mourners,
creeping long life's way
What a blessed picnic
this here baby had today
Your good fathers and good mothers
cried the little fellow round
In the angel's tender garden
of the big plantation garden
And his eyes brightly shined
at the pretty things he viewed
But a tear came and he whispered,
I want my mama and my daddy too
But then the angel's
chief musician
taught that little boy a song
That says if only they be faithful
they'll soon be gone
So my poor, dejected mourners,
let your hearts with heaven rest
And don't go criticizing the one
what knows the best
He has given many comforts,
he has the right to take away
To the Lord be praise and glory
Now and forever
Let us pray.