Five Minutes After I Die Saved

Loved ones will watch for the latest breath ;

Tenderly care for the dust of death ;

Joyously speak of the victor’s wreath ,

Five minutes after I die .

Faces of saints who have gone before ;

Anthems of praise on that golden shore ;

Jesus exalted forevermore

Five minutes after I die .

Here, as a pilgrim and stranger I’ve ranged

Staff in my hand ,to the world estranged ;

Then ,pilgrim days past –oh what a change !

Five minutes after I die .

Perfect the conscience that once sin stirred ;

The blood has atoned ,and its voice is heard ;

Welcomed are all who believed God’s Word ,

Five minutes after I die .

Mated for aye to heaven’s glad throng ,

Long is eternited ,but not too long –

“Praise to the Lamb once slain ,”my glad song ,

five minutes after I die  .

Oh, what a prospect !The Word is true ;

Trusting the Saviour ,and born anew ,

Heaven I enter ,God’s glory to view ,

Five minutes after I die .

I am not flinging a fortune away :

I have believed in salvation’way :

God will fulfil what His Word doth say ,

Five minutes after I die .

Thanks be to Jesus for pardon free !

He paid my debt on Mt Calvary’s tree .

Paradise gates will enfold even me ,

Fives minutes after I die .

Oh marvelous grace that has rescued me !

Oh joyous moment when Jesus I see !

Oh happy day when like Him I’ll be .

Five minutes After I die Lost :

Five minutes After I die Lost :

Loved ones will weep o’er my silent face ;

Dear ones will clasp me in sad embrace ;

Shadows and darkness will fill the place  ,

Five minutes after I die .

Faces that sorrow I will not see ;

Voices that murmur will not reach me ;

But where ,oh,where will my spirit be ,

Five minutes after I die .

Here ,I have rested ,and roved , and ranged ;

Here , I have cherished ,and grown estranged .

There ,and then, it will all be changed ,

Five minutes after I die .

Naught to repair the good I lack ;

Fixed to  the goal of my chosen track;

No room to repent – no turning back ,

Five minutes after I die !

Now ,I can strife cnvictions stirred ;

Now ,I can silence the voice oft heard ;

Then ,the fulfillment of God’s sure Word,

Fives minutes  after I die .

Mated for aye with my chosen throng ;

Long is eternity ,oh so long !

Then woe is me if my soul is wrong ,

Five minutes after I die .

Oh ,what a fool ! Hard the word , but true ,

Passing the Saviour , with hell in view ,

Doing a thing I can ne’er undo ,

Fives minutes after I die .

Since I am flinging a fortune away ;

Since I am wasting salvation’s day ,

“just is my sentence,” my soul shall say ,

Fives minutes after I die .

THE LOST CHORD

 Seated one day at the organ ,

I was weary and ill at ease ,

And my fingers wandered idly

Over the noisy keys .

I do not know what I was playing ,

Or what I was dreaming then ;

But I struck one chord of music ,

Like the sound of a great Amen .

It flooded the crimson twilight

Like the close of an angel’s Psalm ,

And it lay on my fevered spirit

With a touch of infinite calm .

It quieted pain and sorrow ,

Like love overcoming strife ;

It seemed the harmonious echo

From our discordant life .

It linked all perplexed meanings

Into 0one perfect peace ,

And trembled always into silence ,

As if it were loth to cease .

I have sought ,but I seek it vainly ,

That one lost chord divine ,

Which came from the soul of the organ ,

And entered into mine .

It may be that Death’s bright angel

Will speak in that chord again ,-

It may be that only in Heaven

I shall hear that grand Amen .

Jan Bagwell

IN THE GARDEN OF THE LORD :

IN THE GARDEN OF THE LORD :

The word of God came unto to me ,

Sitting alone among the multitudes;

And my blind eyes were touched with light .

And there was laid upon my lips a flame of fire .

I laugh and shout ,for life is good ,

Though my feet are set in silent ways .

In merry mood I leave the crowd

To walk in my garden . Ever as I walk

I gather fruits and flowers in my hands .

And with joyful heart I bless the sun

That kindles all the place with radiant life .

I run with playful winds that blow the scent

Of rose and jessamine in eddying whirls .

At last I come where tall lilies grow ,

Lifting their faces like white saints to God .

While the lilies pray ,I kneel upon the ground ;

I have strayed into the holy temple of the Lord .

Jan 

AN ODE

The spacious firmament on high ,

With all the blue ethereal sky ,

And spangled heavens ,a shining frame ,

Their great Original proclaim .

The unwearied sun from day to day

Does his Creator’s power display ,

And publishes to every land

The work of an almighty Hand .

Soon as the evening shades prevail ,

The moon takes up the wondrous tale ,

And nightly ,to the listening earth ,

Repeats the story of her birth ;

Whilst all the stars that round her burn,

And all the planets in their turn ,

Confirm the tidings as they roll ,

And spread the truth from pole to pole

What though in solemn silence all

Move round the dark terrestrial ball ?

What though nor real voice nor sound

Amid their radiant orbs be found ?

In reason’s ear they all rejoice ,

And utter forth a glorious voice ,

For ever singing as they shine ,

“The Hand that made us is divine ! ”

Dark Shadows Fall in the Lives of us All :

Dark Shadows Fall in the Lives of us All :

Sickness and sorrow

come to us all ,

But through it we grow

and learn to stand tall ,

Far trouble is part and parcel of life

and  no man can grow

without struggle and strife ,

And the more we endure

with patience and grace

 The stronger we grow

and the more we can face ,

And the more we can face ,

the greater our love ,

And with love in our hearts

we are more conscious of

The pain and the sorrow

in lives everywhere ,

So it is through trouble

that we learn how to share .

Jan Bagwell