'Tis the season

Of life, that is:


Thou goest home this night to thy home of winter,
To thy home of autumn, of spring, and of summer;
Thou goest home this night to thy perpetual home,
To thine eternal bed, to thine eternal slumber.

Sleep thou, sleep and away with thy sorrow,
Sleep thou, sleep and away with thy sorrow,
Sleep thou, sleep and away with thy sorrow,
Sleep, thou beloved, in the rock of the fold.

The great sleep of Jesus, the surpassing sleep of Jesus,
The sleep of Jesus’ wound, the sleep of Jesus’ grief,
The young sleep of Jesus, the restoring sleep of Jesus,
The sleep of the kiss of Jesus of peace and of glory.

The shade of death lies upon thy face, beloved,
But the Jesus of grace has His hand round about thee;
In nearness to the Trinity farewell to thy pains.
Christ stands before thee and peace is in His mind.

Sleep, O sleep, in the calm of all calm,
Sleep, O sleep, in the guidance of guidance,
Sleep, O sleep, in the love of all loves;
Sleep, O beloved, in the Lord of Life,
Sleep, O beloved, in the God of all life!