The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #39987   Message #569496
Posted By: Jerry Rasmussen
10-Oct-01 - 11:12 PM
Thread Name: ADD: Softly and Tenderly (Jesus Is Calling)
Subject: Lyr Add: SOFTLY AND TENDERLY
Hi, Genie:

The song is SOFTLY AND TENDERLY. It's fairly common in hymnals. The words are:

SOFTLY AND TENDERLY

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling for you and for me
See on the portals he's waiting and watching
Watching for you and for me

CHORUS: Come home (come home) Come home (come home)
Ye who are weary come home
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling
Calling, O sinner, come home

Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading
Pleading for you and for me
Why should we linger and heed not his mercies
Mercies for you and for me

Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing
Passing for you and for me
Shadows are gathering, death-beds are coming
Coming for you and for me

O for the wonderful love He has promised
Promised for you and for me
Thos we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon
Pardon for you and for me

These words are from The New National Baptist Hymnal Published by National Baptist Publishing Board, Nashville, Tennessee. It is pretty much the standard hymnal used in black Baptist churches. It's well worth picking up, because it has a great wealth of older hymns and gospel songs not commonly found in white hymnals. I'm sure that if you stopped in at just about any black Baptist Church, they'd be happy to order one for you, or give you more information. I'm a member of a black Baptist Church in Connecticut, and that how I ordered mine. Folks are always happy to spread the word. Stay for a service some time, and you're likely to hear some really great music...

I've heard another verse to this, but don't have it. I recorded this song a few years ago, and graciously left out the "death-beds are coming" verse.

Death-beds are coming... oooohhhweeeeooo!!!