Though Absent in Body, Yet Present in Spirit

Christ, our Head, and common Lord,
See the souls that wait on Thee;
Hear us all with one accord
Sweetly in Thy praise agree:
Parted though in flesh we are,
Join'd to Thee, our Corner-stone,
We are intimately near,
Present, and in spirit one.

Let us now to Thee aspire,
Who Thy life begin to know;
Let the circulating fire
Now in every bosom glow:
Let the incense of our vows
From Thy golden censer rise,
Fragrant through the higher house,
Well-accepted sacrifice.

Come, ye absent souls who love
Jesus with a simple heart;
Seek with us the things above,
Never from the work depart:
Never let us cease to sing
The great riches of His grace,
Till we all behold our King
Eye to eye, and face to face.

Quickly we shall all appear
At the judgment-seat above;
We shall see our Jesus near,
Him whom now unseen we love;
We, His dear, peculiar ones,
Sharers of our Master's bliss,
We shall sit upon our thrones,
We shall see Him as He is.

Partners of this heavenly hope,
Travel on and meet us there;
We shall surely be caught up,
Meet the Saviour in the air:
Yes; eternity 's at hand,
We shall soon be taken home,
With the Lamb on Sion stand —
Come, Desire of nations, come!