Words: , 1871.

Music: .

While we were hold­ing meet­ings in Bos­ton [Mass­a­chu­setts], in 1876, Mr. Moo­dy was en­ter­tained by one of the lead­ing law­yers of the ci­ty, who fre­quent­ly be­fore the meet­ings would ask what so­lo I had se­lect­ed. If I had none, he would say: “Please sing, ‘The mis­takes of my life have been ma­ny’; for one of the great­est mis­takes I have ev­er made was to ig­nore God in all my af­fairs. But at last he took away my only child, a be­loved son. That led me to the feet of Je­sus, and I bowed to kiss the hand that had laid the rod up­on me. Then I told the Lord that I would de­vote my for­tune to his ser­vice. In keep­ing with that prom­ise I erect­ed a col­lege for young wo­men, lo­cat­ed at Well­es­ley Lake, near Bos­ton.” This good man has now passed on to his re­ward. Short­ly be­fore he died Mr. Moo­dy and I pur­chased a per­pe­tu­al schol­ar­ship in Well­es­ley Col­lege, as a prize to be sought af­ter by the young wo­men of North­field Sem­in­a­ry [Mass­a­chu­setts].

The mistakes of my life have been many,
The sins of my heart have been more,
And I scarce can see for weeping,
But I’ll knock at the open door.

Refrain

I know I am weak and sinful,
It comes to me more and more;
But when the dear Savior shall bid me come in,
I’ll enter the open door.

I am lowest of those who love Him,
I am weakest of those who pray;
But I come as He has bidden,
And He will not say me nay.

Refrain

My mistakes His free grace will cover,
My sins He will wash away,
And the feet that can shrink and falter
Shall walk thro’ the gates of day.

Refrain

The mistakes of my life have been many,
And my spirit is sick with sin,
And I scarce can see for weeping,
But the Savior will let me in.

Refrain