1 Before our Saviour rose on high,
In clouds ascending to the sky,
He called His friends, the faithful few,
And gave them work for Him to do.
2 He knew their weakness and their needs,
Alone, they never could succeed;
“All power” was His, the world to save,
And so this precious word He gave.
3 He gave them too a strange command,
(So seemed it to the little band,)
To tarry in Jerusalem
Till heavenly power should come to them.
4 With one accord they watched and prayed,
Their trusting hearts on Jesus stayed;
At Pentecost, the Spirit came
With rushing wind and tongues of flame.
5 Then was fulfilled the promise old;
This was the day so long foretold;
“Rejoice, O Zion, in the Lord,
My Spirit then shall be outpoured.”
6 Then were they brave to testify
Of Jesus, risen up on high;
They spoke in different tongues and all
Might hear the blessed Gospel call.
7 O Lord, in Jesus’ name, we pray,
Be this our Pentecostal day,
And may Thy Spirit, like a dove,
Fill every heart with peace and love.
8 Then bravely, gladly, shall we tell
Of Jesus, our Emmanuel;
New tongues shall speak Thy grace Divine,
And all the glory shall be Thine.
Source: The Sunday School Hymnal: with offices of devotion #92
Pseudonym: Lidie H. Edmunds.
Eliza Edmunds Hewitt was born in Philadelphia 28 June 1851. She was educated in the public schools and after graduation from high school became a teacher. However, she developed a spinal malady which cut short her career and made her a shut-in for many years. During her convalescence, she studied English literature. She felt a need to be useful to her church and began writing poems for the primary department. she went on to teach Sunday school, take an active part in the Philadelphia Elementary Union and become Superintendent of the primary department of Calvin Presbyterian Church.
Dianne Shapiro, from "The Singers and Their Songs: sketches of living gospel hymn writers" by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (… Go to person page >
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