Why Not Today

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You think the house of prayer so sweet

Author: Jeremiah Eames Rankin
Tune: [You think the house of prayer so sweet]
Published in 5 hymnals

Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 You think the house of prayer so sweet,
So sweet the voice of sacred song;
You turn away reluctant feet,
As tho’ the hour you would prolong;
And yet your soul is unforgiv’n,
No title yet have you for heav’n;
You mean sometime to kneel and pray,
Why not today?
Why not today?

2 You think you love God’s people now,
You love their company to share;
You love before His throne to bow,
And listen to their humble pray’r;
Why should you pause and hesitate,
Until perhaps it be too late?
You mean sometime to kneel and pray,
Why not today?
Why not today?

3 There is no work beyond the grave,
There is no labor or device,
There is no pow’r can reach to save,
There is no ransom there or price;
No gospel word or gospel song,
No house of God where Christians throng;
You mean sometime to kneel and pray,
Why not today?
Why not today?

Source: Assembly Songs: for use in evangelistic services, Sabbath schools, young peoples societies, devotional meetings, and the home #110

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Author: Jeremiah Eames Rankin

Pseudonym: R. E. Jeremy. Rankin, Jeremiah Eames, D.D., was born at Thornton, New Haven, Jan. 2, 1828, and educated at Middleburg College, Vermont, and at Andover. For two years he resided at Potsdam, U.S. Subsequently he held pastoral charges as a Congregational Minister at New York, St. Albans, Charlestown, Washington ( District of Columbia), &c. In 1878 he edited the Gospel Temperance Hymnal, and later the Gospel Bells. His hymns appeared in these collections, and in D. E. Jones's Songs of the New Life, 1869. His best known hymn is "Labouring and heavy laden" (Seeking Christ). This was "written [in 1855] for a sister who was an inquirer," was first printed in the Boston Recorder, and then included in Nason's Congregational Hymn Book,… Go to person page >

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