Farther Along

Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand."

John 13:7

Farther Along

By W. A. Fletcher

Tempted and tried, we're oft made to wonder

Why it should be thus all the day long;

While there are others living about us,

Never molested, though in the wrong.

Farther along we'll know more about it,

Farther along we'll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by.

Sometimes I wonder why I must suffer,

Go in the rain, the cold, and the snow,

When there are many living in comfort,

Giving no heed to all I can do.

Farther along we'll know more about it,

Farther along we'll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by.

Tempted and tried, how often we question

Why we must suffer year after year,

Being accused by those of our loved ones,

E'en though we've walked in God's holy fear.

Farther along we'll know more about it,

Farther along we'll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by.

Often when death has taken our loved ones,

Leaving our home so lone and so drear,

Then do we wonder why others prosper,

Living so wicked year after year.

Farther along we'll know more about it,

Farther along we'll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by.

"Faithful till death," saith our loving Master;

Short is our time to labor and wait;

Then will our toiling seem to be nothing,

When we shall pass the heavenly gate.

Farther along we'll know more about it,

Farther along we'll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by.

Soon we will see our dear, loving Savior,

Hear the last trumpet sound through the sky;

Then we will meet those gone on before us,

Then we shall know and understand why.

Farther along we'll know more about it,

Farther along we'll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by.

The lyrics to the song were written in 1911 by Rev. W. A. Fletcher, an itinerant preacher, while he was traveling to the Indian Territories by train. Fletcher was feeling depressed because his wife, Catherine Louise Emmett Fletcher of Cleburne, Texas, was expecting their first-born child in a few weeks and he wouldn't be present for the occasion. He felt that his priorities were with his ministry in the Indian Territories and wrote the lyrics to reflect his frame of mind at the time. Sitting next to him on the train was J. R. Baxter, a gospel music promoter who was quite taken with the lyrics that Fletcher was writing and offered him $2.00 for them. Mr. Baxter subsequently had them put to music and the song has been quite popular in the gospel music arena ever since.

The song deals with a Christian's dismay at the apparent prosperity of the wicked, when contrasted with the suffering of the righteous. The repeated theme is that, "farther along" (in Heaven, perhaps), the truth will be revealed.  Some songs are truly comforting, and for me this is one of them.  No matter how bad things may be in life, if we keep our faith and we don't change the goodness of our character, then heaven will be ours someday.