1 Yes, my native land, I love thee;
All thy scenes, I love them well;
Friends, connections, happy country,
Can I bid you all farewell?
Can I leave you,
Far in distant lands to dwell?
2 Home, thy joys are passing lovely,
Joys no stranger heart can tell;
Happy home! 'tis sure I love thee,
Can I, can I say farewell?
Can I leave thee,
Far in heathen lands to dwell?
3 Scenes of sacred peace and pleasure,
Holy days and Sabbath bell;
Richest, brightest, sweetest treasure,
Can I say a last farewell?
Can I leave you,
Far in heathen lands to dwell?
4 Yes, I hasten from you gladly,
From the scenes I love so well,
Far away, ye billows, bear me;
Lovely, native land, farewell!
Pleased I leave thee--
Far in heathen lands to dwell.
5 In the deserts let me labor,
On the mountains let me tell
How He died—the blessed Saviour—
To redeem a world from hell!
Let me hasten, Let me hasten,
Far in heathen lands to dwell.
6 Bear me on, thou restless ocean;
Let the winds my canvas swell;
Heaves my heart with warm emotion,
While I go far hence do dwell:
Glad I leave thee,
Native land, farewell! farewell!
Source: The Book of Worship #393
Smith, Samuel Francis, D.D., was born in Boston, U.S.A., Oct. 21, 1808, and graduated in arts at Harvard, and in theology at Andover. He entered the Baptist ministry in 1832, and became the same year editor of the Baptist Missionary Magazine. He also contributed to the Encyclopaedia Americana. From 1834 to 1842 he was pastor at Waterville, Maine, and Professor of Modern Languages in Waterville College. In 1842 he removed to Newton, Massachusetts, where he remained until 1854, when he became the editor of the publications of the Baptist Missionary Union. With Baron Stow he prepared the Baptist collection known as The Psalmist, published in 1843, to which he contributed several hymns. The Psalmist is the most creditable and influential of… Go to person page >
My Starred Hymns
My FlexScores
My Hymnals
My Purchased Files