In Fancy I Stood By The Shore, One Day

By Mrs. C. H. Morris

Lyrics

1. In fancy I stood by the shore, one day,
Of the beautiful murm’ring sea;
I saw the great crowds as they thronged the way
Of the Stranger of Galilee;
I saw how the man who was blind from birth,
In a moment was made to see;
The lame was made whole by the matchless skill
Of the Stranger of Galilee.

Refrain 1-3:
And I felt I could love Him forever,
So gracious and tender was He!
I claimed Him that day as my Savior,
This Stranger of Galilee.

2. His look of compassion, His words of love,
They shall never forgotten be;
When sin-sick and helpless He saw me there,
This Stranger of Galilee;
He showed me His hand and His riven side,
And He whispered, “It was for thee!”
My burden fell off at the pierced feet
Of the Stranger from Galilee.

3. I heard Him speak peace to the angry waves,
Of that turbulent, raging sea;
And lo! at His word are the waters stilled,
This Stranger of Galilee;
A peaceful, a quiet, and holy calm,
Now and ever abides with me;
He holdeth my life in His mighty hands,
This Stranger of Galilee.

4. Come, ye who are driven and tempest-tossed,
And His gracious salvation see;
He’ll quiet life’s storms with His “Peace, be still!”
This Stranger of Galilee;
He bids me to go and the story tell—
What He ever to you will be,
If only you let Him with you abide,
This Stranger of Galilee.

Refrain 4:
Oh, my friend, won’t you love Him forever?
So gracious and tender is He!
Accept Him today as your Savior,
This Stranger of Galilee.

Bible Reference

Matthew 11:28

About This Hymn

"In Fancy I Stood By The Shore, One Day" begins with the image of Christ standing by the sea, teaching and calling the weary to Himself. The hymnwriter, Mrs. C. H. Morris, draws the singer into the Gospel scene, helping them picture the Savior with compassion in His eyes, inviting sinners to come and find rest. The opening line sets a tone of reverent imagination, encouraging believers to meditate upon the words of Jesus as though they themselves were present when He spoke.

The hymn then reflects upon the meaning of Christ’s invitation, connecting it to Matthew 11:28 where Jesus says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." This connection makes the hymn more than a reflection of history, it becomes a personal call to faith. The song emphasizes that the Lord’s words are as real and effective today as when they were first spoken. In this way, Mrs. Morris points the singer to the eternal truth and accessibility of Christ’s promises.

In its closing thought, the hymn highlights the sufficiency of Jesus for every soul. It teaches that no matter how distant one feels from the biblical world, through faith, the voice of the Savior can be heard today. The imagery of standing by the shore in "fancy" becomes a way of drawing near to Christ in spirit. By blending imagination with Scripture, the hymn offers both comfort and conviction, assuring the believer that the words of the Lord remain alive, powerful, and able to transform every heart that listens and responds.