4,6,6,6,7,7,8,7,8,7

"Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings." -- Jer.3:22.

"Kehre wieder, kehre wieder."

[36]Spitta.

transl., Jane Borthwick, 1855

Return, return!

Poor, long lost wanderer, home!

With all thy bitter tears,

Thy heavy burdens, come!

As thou art all sin and pain,

Fear not to implore in vain:

See, the Father comes to meet thee,

Points to mercy's open door;

Words of life and promise greet thee --

Ah! return, delay no more!

Return, return!

From strife and tumult vain,

To quiet solitude,

To silent thought again.

There the storms shall sink to rest

Which now desolate thy breast;

There the Spirit, long neglected,

Waits with bliss before unknown;

And the Saviour, long-rejected,

Claims and seals thee for His own,

Return, return!

From all thy crooked ways;

Jesus will save the lost,

The fallen He can raise.

Look to Him, who beckons thee

From the Cross so lovingly.

See His gracious arms extended;

Fear not to seek shelter there,

Where no grief is unbefriended,

Where no sinner need despair.

Return, return!

To thy long-suffering Lord.

Fear not to seek His grace,

To trust His faithful word;

Yield to Him thy weary heart --

He can heal its keenest smart;

He can soothe the deepest sorrow

Wash the blackest guilt away:

Then delay not till to-morrow,

Seek His offered gifts to-day.

Return, return!

From all thy wanderings, home!

From vanity and toil,

To rest and substance, come!

Come to Truth from Error's night,

Come from darkness unto light,

Come from death to life undying,

From a fallen earth to Heaven --

Now the accepted time is flying,

Haste to take what God has given!