Words: :

It was in 1876 that I wrote ‘Beulah Land.’ I could write on­ly two vers­es and the chor­us, when I was over­come and fell on my face. That was one Sun­day. On the fol­low­ing Sun­day I wrote the third and fourth vers­es, and again I was so in­flu­enced by emo­tion that I could on­ly pray and weep. The first time it was sung was at the reg­u­lar Mon­day morn­ing meet­ing of Meth­od­ists in Phil­a­del­phia [Penn­syl­van­ia]. Bi­shop Mc­Cabe sang it to the as­sem­bled min­is­ters. Since then it is known wher­ev­er re­li­gious peo­ple con­gre­gate. I have ne­ver re­ceived a cent for my songs. Per­haps that is why they have had such a wide pop­u­lar­i­ty. I could not do work for the Mas­ter and re­ceive pay for it.

Music: .

The sec­re­ta­ry of the Young Men’s Christ­ian As­so­ci­a­tion at Ply­mouth, Eng­land, wrote me a beau­ti­ful sto­ry of a young la­dy, who sang [this song] on her dy­ing bed as she passed in­to the land that is fair­er than day.

I sang this fa­vo­rite song over the dead bo­dy of my friend, Mr. Swe­ney, at the church of which he was a lead­ing mem­ber, in West Ches­ter, Penn­syl­van­ia, on the day of his bur­i­al.


I’ve reached the land of corn and wine,
And all its riches freely mine;
Here shines undimmed one blissful day,
For all my night has passed away.

Refrain

O Beulah Land, sweet Beulah Land,
As on thy highest mount I stand,
I look away across the sea,
Where mansions are prepared for me,
And view the shining glory shore,
My Heav’n, my home forever more!

My Savior comes and walks with me,
And sweet communion here have we;
He gently leads me by His hand,
For this is Heaven’s border land.

Refrain

A sweet perfume upon the breeze,
Is borne from ever vernal trees,
And flow’rs, that never fading grow
Where streams of life forever flow.

Refrain

The zephyrs seem to float to me,
Sweet sounds to Heaven’s melody,
As angels with the white robed throng
Join in the sweet redemption song.

Refrain