Costa's Hummingbird on Nest (Calypte costae) by Bob-Nan

Based on:

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7 KJV)

Words by –  Anne R. Cou­sin, in The Christ­ian Trea­su­ry, 1857.
From this hymn came the ti­tle of Cou­sin’s 1876 work, Im­man­u­el’s Land and Other Piec­es by A. R. C.

Music: Ru­ther­ford, Chré­ti­en d’Ur­han, 1834; ar­ranged by Ed­ward F. Rim­bault, 1867

The Sands of Time Are Sinking

The sands of time are sinking, the dawn of Heaven breaks;
The summer morn I’ve sighed for—the fair, sweet morn awakes:
Dark, dark hath been the midnight, but dayspring is at hand,
And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

O Christ, He is the fountain, the deep, sweet well of love!
The streams on earth I’ve tasted more deep I’ll drink above:
There to an ocean fullness His mercy doth expand,
And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

Oh! Well it is forever, Oh! well forevermore,
My nest hung in no forest of all this death doomed shore:
Yea, let the vain world vanish, as from the ship the strand,
While glory—glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

There the red rose of Sharon unfolds its heartsome bloom
And fills the air of Heaven with ravishing perfume:
Oh! To behold it blossom, while by its fragrance fanned
Where glory—glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

The King there in His beauty, without a veil is seen:
It were a well spent journey, though seven deaths lay between:
The Lamb with His fair army, doth on Mount Zion stand,
And glory—glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

Oft in yon sea beat prison My Lord and I held tryst,
For Anwoth was not Heaven, and preaching was not Christ:
And aye, my murkiest storm cloud was by a rainbow spanned,
Caught from the glory dwelling in Immanuel’s land.

But that He built a Heaven of His surpassing love,
A little new Jerusalem, like to the one above,
“Lord take me over the water” hath been my loud demand,
Take me to my love’s own country, unto Immanuel’s land.

But flowers need night’s cool darkness, the moonlight and the dew;
So Christ, from one who loved it, His shining oft withdrew:
And then, for cause of absence my troubled soul I scanned
But glory shadeless shineth in Immanuel’s land.

The little birds of Anwoth, I used to count them blessed,
Now, beside happier altars I go to build my nest:
Over these there broods no silence, no graves around them stand,
For glory, deathless, dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

Fair Anwoth by the Solway, to me thou still art dear,
Even from the verge of Heaven, I drop for thee a tear.
Oh! If one soul from Anwoth meet me at God’s right hand,
My heaven will be two heavens, In Immanuel’s land.

I’ve wrestled on towards Heaven, against storm and wind and tide,
Now, like a weary traveler that leaneth on his guide,
Amid the shades of evening, while sinks life’s lingering sand,
I hail the glory dawning from Immanuel’s land.

Deep waters crossed life’s pathway, the hedge of thorns was sharp;
Now, these lie all behind me Oh! for a well tuned harp!
Oh! To join hallelujah with yon triumphant band,
Who sing where glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

With mercy and with judgment my web of time He wove,
And aye, the dews of sorrow were lustered with His love;
I’ll bless the hand that guided, I’ll bless the heart that planned
When throned where glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

Soon shall the cup of glory wash down earth’s bitterest woes,
Soon shall the desert briar break into Eden’s rose;
The curse shall change to blessing the name on earth that’s banned
Be graven on the white stone in Immanuel’s land.

O I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved’s mine!
He brings a poor vile sinner into His “house of wine.”
I stand upon His merit—I know no other stand,
Not even where glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

I shall sleep sound in Jesus, filled with His likeness rise,
To love and to adore Him, to see Him with these eyes:
’Tween me and resurrection but paradise doth stand;
Then—then for glory dwelling in Immanuel’s land.

The bride eyes not her garment, but her dear bridegroom’s face;
I will not gaze at glory but on my king of grace.
Not at the crown He giveth but on His piercèd hand;
The Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel’s land.

I have borne scorn and hatred, I have borne wrong and shame,
Earth’s proud ones have reproached me for Christ’s thrice blessed name:
Where God His seal set fairest they’ve stamped the foulest brand,
But judgment shines like noonday in Immanuel’s land.

They’ve summoned me before them, but there I may not come,
My Lord says “Come up hither,” My Lord says “Welcome home!”
My king, at His white throne, my presence doth command
Where glory—glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

Old School House in Anwoth, Scotland

Anwoth is a settlement near the Solway Firth in the Stewarty of Kirkcudbright, in South West Scotland, within a parish of the same name in the Vale of Fleet, Dumfries and Galloway. Anwoth lies a mile (1.5 km) to the west of Gatehouse of Fleet.

Anwoth’s most famous inhabitant was the Rev. Samuel Rutherford (1600? – 1661), who was the minister at Anwoth Old Kirk from 1627 until 1636 when he was banished to Aberdeen. On a nearby hill, there is Rutherford’s Monument, a 55 foot high granite obelisk erected in 1842. A millennium cairn opposite the monument lists the names of all the ministers of Anwoth and Girthon until the year 2000 when it was erected. The Old Kirk was in use until 1825, but is now just a ruin.

West Anwoth Parish Church was built in 1826–1827. It is a Walter Newall Gothic box style church with tower and hood-moulded windows. It closed in 2002.

The Church of Scotland sold the Church to a neighbouring family who now keep it as a hall fo ceremonies and parties. The church was re-roofed in 2007 and is being kept in the best of condition.

An ancient fort on nearby Trusty’s Hill was occupied by Iron Age people and may have been attacked and burned by a Pictish raiding party, who carved a series of symbol stones in a rock beside the entrance passage.

Anne Ross Cousin’s hymn, The Sands of Time are Sinking, mentions Anwoth, because of its historic spiritual connection with Samuel Rutherford. Verses 9 & 10 of her original nineteen stanza poem are:

The little birds of Anwoth, I used to count them blessed,
Now, beside happier altars I go to build my nest:
Over these there broods no silence, no graves around them stand,
For glory, deathless, dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

Fair Anwoth by the Solway, to me thou still art dear,
Even from the verge of heaven, I drop for thee a tear.
Oh! If one soul from Anwoth meet me at God’s right hand,
My heaven will be two heavens, In Immanuel’s land.

Sources – CyberHymnal and Wikipedia
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Another great hymn by Anne R. Cousin is worth listening to an meditating on the words. She sums up what we desire for all who visit this blog.

Is Jesus Able To Redeem?

Based on:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 KJV)

Words: Anne R. Cou­sin (1824-1906).
Music: Es­rom, Ira D. Sank­ey (1840-1908)

Is Jesus able to redeem
A sinner lost, like me?
My sins so great, so many seem!
O sinner, “come and see.”

The blood that Jesus shed of old
Was shed for you and me:
And there is room within the fold—
O “come to Him and see.”

Is Jesus willing to forgive
A rebel child, like me?
Who would not in His favor live?
O rebel, “come and see.”

The blood that Jesus shed of old
Was shed for you and me:
And there is room within the fold—
O “come to Him and see.”

Is Jesus waiting to relieve
A wanderer, like me,
Who chose the Father’s house to leave?
O wanderer, “come and see.”

The blood that Jesus shed of old
Was shed for you and me:
And there is room within the fold—
O “come to Him and see.”

Is Jesus ready now to save
A guilty one, like me,
Who brought Him to the cross and grave?
Come, guilty one, and see.

The blood that Jesus shed of old
Was shed for you and me:
And there is room within the fold—
O “come to Him and see.”
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The Gospel Message

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