Children of the heav'nly King

326 Pleyet's Hymn. 7. 7. 7. 7.

1 Children of the heav'nly King,
   As ye Journey sweetly sing:
   Sing your Saviour's worthy Praise,
   Glorious in his Works and Ways!

2 Ye are trav'ling Home to God,
   In the Way the Fathers trod:
   They are happy now, and ye
   Soon their Happiness shall see.

3 Fear not, Brethren, joyful stand,
   On the Borders of your Land;
   Jesus Christ, your Father's Son,
   Bids you undismay'd go on.

4 Lord! obediently we'll go,
   Gladly leaving all below;
   Only thou our Leader be,
   And we still will follow Thee.
                         John Cennick
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
Hymnary.org inserts two verses after verse 2:

3 O ye banish'd Seed be glad!
   Christ your Advocate is made;
   Us to save, our Flesh assumes,
   Brother to our Souls becomes.

4 Shout, ye little Flock, and blest,
   You on Jesu's Throne shall rest;
   There your Seat is now prepar'd
   There your Kingdom and Reward.

Interestingly, he wrote the table grace that I grew up singing, Be present at our table, Lord (#563 in this hymnal):

Be present at our table, Lord,
Be here and ev'rywhere adored,
These mercies bless, and grant that we
May feast in paradise with Thee.

The interesting thing is, I recall the final line as "May feast in fellowship with Thee," but I can't find any hymnal that lists it that way! Faulty memory? Or local change?
</idle musing>