“Christ Returneth!” is sometimes listed as “It May Be at Morn.”
It may be at morn, when the day is awaking,
When sunlight through darkness and shadow is breaking,
That Jesus will come in the fullness of glory,
To receive from the world “His own.”
It may be at midday, it may be at twilight,
It may be, perchance, that the blackness of midnight
Will burst into light in the blaze of His glory,
When Jesus receives “His own.” (Refrain)
While its hosts cry Hosanna, from heaven descending,
With glorified saints and the angels attending,
With grace on His brow, like a halo of glory,
Will Jesus receive “His own.” (Refrain)
Oh, joy! oh, delight! should we go without dying,
No sickness, no sadness, no dread and no crying,
Caught up through the clouds with our Lord into glory,
When Jesus receives “His own.” (Refrain)
Refrain:
O Lord Jesus, how long, how long
Ere we shout the glad song,
Christ returneth!
Hallelujah! hallelujah!
Amen, Hallelujah! Amen.
H. L. Turner, 1878
Mark 13:35-37
So many hymns written in the late 19th century had the return of Christ as a subject. There was a marked longing and a hopeful anticipation. Let’s seize on Paul’s words to the Romans:
And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. Romans 13:11
Our salvation is near. Let’s live in view of that hope.