Hymn
The Great Teacher
How sweetly flowed the gospel sound
From lips of gentleness and grace,
When listening thousands gathered round,
And joy and gladness filled the place!
From heaven he came, of heaven he spoke,
To heaven he led his followers' way;
Dark clouds of gloomy night he broke,
Unvailing an immortal day.
"Come, wanderers, to my Father's home,
Come, all ye weary ones, and rest;"
Yes, sacred Teacher, we will come,
Obey thee, love thee, and be blest!
Decay then, tenements of dust;
Pillars of earthly pride, decay:
A nobler mansion waits the just,
And Jesus has prepared the way.
The Great Teacher — Text from Laudes Domini, 1890. Public domain. https://yeshuanow.com/hymns/the-great-teacher
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Questions about this hymn
Who wrote The Great Teacher?
The words of The Great Teacher were written by John Bowring; the version here was published in 1890. The library holds 4 more hymns by John Bowring, including Upon the Gospel's Sacred Page and God Is Love.
Is The Great Teacher public domain?
Yes. The words here are taken from Laudes Domini, published in 1890. Works published before 1931 are out of copyright in the United States, so you can print, project, perform and record this hymn freely. How we source and check every hymn.
What is the metre of The Great Teacher?
The Great Teacher is in Long Metre (8.8.8.8). Hymns in the same metre can usually be sung to the same tunes — for example, A Psalm for the Lord's Day, Holiness and Grace and Substantial Compassion.