Christ Calling

Christ is knocking at the portal

Author: John B. Ketchum
Tune: [Christ is knocking at the portal]
Published in 1 hymnal

Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 Christ is knocking at the portal,
Christ is tapping at the door;
Christ is calling to thee, sinner,—
Thou hast heard His voice before!
Haste, admit Him—why dost tarry?
He may leave and come no more.
“Go Thy way,” the sinner answers,
“Stay not by my cottage door.”

Refrain:
Christ is knocking, knocking at the portal,
Christ is tapping, tapping at the door;
“Go Thy way,” the sinner answers,
“Stay not by my cottage door.”

2 “Griev’d again!” the Saviour sorrows,
Turning bitterly to go—
“Shall my Spirit strive forever
With a child of sin and woe?
Yet, O Father, keep the erring,
Bring them to Thyself at last—
While I go the lost sheep seeking,
Ere the shades of night be case. [Refrain]

3 Life is going, years are passing,
Dark and darker grows the hour,
But the Saviour still is knocking,
Still is strong the Spirit’s pow’r.
Late, so late, but hear our pleading,
Hear us calling from the door;
Come, O Christ, with love entreating,
As Thou didst in days before. [Refrain]

4 But, alas! the kindly knocking
Of the golden hours gone by,
And the sweetly whisper’d calling
Of the waiting stranger night.
Come no more, nor move the spirit—
All alone the night winds sigh,
And no voice of angel sayeth
“Christ of Nazareth passeth by.” [Refrain]

5 Christ is tapping at the portal,
Christ is knocking at the door;
Jesus calls thee now, poor sinner?
Will you spurn Him as before?
Haste to answer—do not tarry—
Wait not on the morrow’s sun;
Now admin, accept Him freely,
Ere the day of grace be done. [Refrain]

Source: Crowning Day No. 3 #20

Author: John B. Ketchum

(no biographical information available about John B. Ketchum.) Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Christ is knocking at the portal
Title: Christ Calling
Author: John B. Ketchum
Language: English
Refrain First Line: Christ is knocking, knocking at the portal
Copyright: Public Domain

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Crowning Day No. 3 #20

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