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Hymnals of the Stone-Campbell Movement

Enos E. Dowling Hymnal Collection

Hymn: I come to thee tonight (FL)

Hymnal: The Christian Hymnal

Date: 1871

Compiler: Under direction of the Christian Hymn-Book Committee

Publisher/Printer: Bosworth Chase & Hall

First Line: I come to thee tonight

Topic: Times and Seasons

Writer: <no first name given> <no last name given>

Composer: T Hastings

Meter: PM

Tune: I Come to Thee

Hymn Number: 819

Page Number: 312, click to see hymnal pages

Lyics

I come to thee to-night,

In my lone clos-et, where no eye can see,

And dare to crave an in-terview with thee,

Fa-ther of love and light.



Softly the moon beams shine

On the still branches of the shadowy trees,

While all sweet sounds of evening on the breeze

Steel thro' the slumbering vine.



Thou gavest the calm repose

That rests on all; the air, the birds, the flower,

The hu-man spir-it in its wea-ry hour, 

Now at the bright day's close.



Father! my soul would be

Pure as the drops of eve's unsullied dew-

And as the stars whose nightly course is true,

So would I be to thee.



Not for myself alone

Would I the blessings of thy love implore;

But for each penitent the wide earth o'er,

Whom thou hast called thine own.



And for my heart's best friends,

Whose steadfast kindness o'er my painful years

Has watched, to soothe affliction's griefs and tears,

My warmest prayer ascends.



And now, O Father! take

The heart I cast with humble faith on thee,

And cleanse its depths from each impurity,

For my Redeemer's sake.