CHORUS
PASTOR'S ABSENT ON VACATION CHURCH IS CLOSED TILL HIS RETURN.
REC.
THE OLD MAN WENT TO MEETING, FOR THE DAY WAS BRIGHT AND
FAIR. THO HIS LIMBS WERE VERY TIRING, AND IT WAS HARD TO TRAVEL
THERE. BUT HE HUNGERED FOR THE GOSPEL, SO HE TRUDGED THE WEARY WAY.
ON THE ROAD SO ROUGH AND DUSTY, 'NEATH THE SUMMER SUN'S BURNING RAYS.
BY AND BY HE REACHED THE BUILDING, TO HIS SOUL A HOLY PLACE,
AND THEN HE PAUSED AND WIPED THE SWEAT FROM HIS THIN AND
WRINKLED FACE. BUT HE LOOKED AROUND BEWILDERED, FOR THE
OLD BELL DIDN'T TOLL. AND THE DOORS WERE SHUT AND BOLTED, AND
HE DIDN'T SEE A SOUL, BUT HE SAW A LITTLE NOTICE,
TACKED UPON THE MEETING DOOR. SO HE LIMPED ALONG TO READ IT,
AND HE READ IT O'ER AND O'ER, THEN HE WIPED HIS DUSTY GLASSES,
AND HE READ IT O'ER AGAIN, TILL HIS LEGS BEGIN TO TREMBLE,
AND HIS EYES BEGIN PAIN. AS THE OLD MAN READ THE NOTICE,
HOW IT MADE HIS SPIRIT BURN, PASTOR ON VACATION- CHURCH'
CLOSED TILL HIS RETURN. AND THE OLD MAN SAID.
WOULD THE FARMER LEAVE HIS CATTLE, OR THE SHEPHERD LEAVE
HIS SHEEP. WHY WHO WOULD GIVE THE CARE AND SHELTER,
OR PROVIDE THEM FOOD TO EAT. SO IT STRIKES ME VERY SIMILAR,
WHEN A MAN WITH HOLY HANDS. THINKS HE NEEDS A VACATION,
FOR SAKES TENDER LANDS. DO THE MARKETS CLOSE THEIR DOORS,
JUST TO TAKE A LITTLE REST. WHY IT WOULD BE THE HEIGHT
OF NONSENSE, FOR THEIR TRADE WOULD BE DISTRESSED.
DID YOU KNOW IT EVER HAPPEN, OR HEAR ANYBODY TELL.
SATAN TAKING A VACATION, SHUTTING UP THE DOOR OF HELL.
AH TELL ME
WHEN I REACH THAT CITY, OVER ON THE OTHER SHORE.
WOULD I FIND A LITTLE NOTICE, TACKED UPON THE GOLDEN DOOR,
TELLING ME MID DREADFUL SILENCE, WRITTEN WORDS THAT CUT AND
BURN, JESUS ABSENT, ON VACATION, HEAVEN CLOSED TILL HIS RETURN.
(end)
PASTOR'S ABSENT ON VACATION CHURCH IS CLOSED TILL HIS RETURN