This world is beautiful and bright,
O scarce one cloud has dimmed my sky,
And yet no gloomy shades of night
Are gath’ring ’round me though I die;
Yet there’s a lovelier land of light,
Illum’d by Bethle’m’s beaming star;
E’en now it bursts upon my sight,
To be with Christ is better far.
True, life is sweet and friends are dear,