Composed by the late Miss M. McIntosh, Gairloch
Mother mine, who is in Glory,
In that land where sin’s unknown,
Land of bliss, where Christ’s the sunshine,
And from where all grief has flown.
Mother mine, you taught me early
To seek Jesus and His love,
To set lightly earth’s vain shadows,
To set store by things above.
Ere I scarce could lisp His Great Name,
I recall your tender voice
Pressing me to make the Saviour
My own early only choice.
Telling me to prize the Bible,
With the Truth my mind to fill,
To esteem my soul’s salvation
Above all that earth can give.
That I am a fallen sinner,
But that Jesus shed His blood,
If I seek that I will find Him,
He alone can do me good.
Mother mine, I miss you sadly,
Miss you more as years go by,
Miss your wise and gentle counsel,
Miss your meek and gracious eye.
Miss your prayer and miss your pity,
Miss your sympathy and love,
Miss your heartfelt faithful pleading
For my never dying soul.
Oft you had your cross to carry
While you had your grief to bear,
And your drink was tear-mixed often
While you mourned in Baca’s vale.
Oh! the sore anguish of spirit
Which you often had to bear,
And the broken-hearted sorrow
On account of Satan’s rage.
Fierce and cruel were his onslaughts,
For he knew his time was short,
And he kept the billows roaring
So to keep you out of Port.
Sleepless nights of bitter anguish,
While you mourned an absent Lord,
For the hiding of His fair face
Did surpass all other loads.
But the gentle Saviour conquered,
When His time came to relieve,
And He stilled the rage of Satan
Like the waves of Galilee.
Oh! the calm His presence brought you,
And His gentle “Peace be still”,
Your whole being now seemed yearning
With desire to do His will.
Now the mountains may be altered
And the hills may be removed,
But His loving-kindness fails not
And His covenant standeth sure.
Mother mine, I loved you dearly,
Fonder still you loved me too,
Till I felt that parting from you
Clave my lonely heart in two.
Would that I might tread your footsteps
With affections set on high,
Would that I could weigh my anchor,
And from sin and sorrow fly.
For I’m lonely in this desert
And I long to be away,
Long to meet your ransomed spirit
In that land of endless day.
Long to see my loving Saviour,
Long to serve Him without sin,
And be free from all corruption,
Pure without and pure within.
Long to breathe the Holy Spirit
Where no sin is ever known,
Long to meet with kindred spirit,
Long to feel the rest of home.
Yes, I long to be made holy,
Meet for the bright land above,
Where I’ll never know contention,
Ne’er is there a breath but love.
What a Lover, what a Husband,
What a Saviour, what a Guide,
Who can win such perverse rebels,
Make them meet to be His bride.
Soon we’ll meet no more to sever,
In that summer land above
Where no discord e’er can enter,
Each and all diffuses love.
We’ll adore and praise Him ever,
In that happy Home above,
And our theme through endless ages
Will be Jesus and His love.