Hymn questions - 'Great Speckled Bird' & 'Eastern Gate'

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Please tell me-what are the hymns ‘Great Speckled Bird’ and ‘Eastern Gate’ talking about?I dont understand them.Great speckled bird sounds as if it might talking about the Blessed virgin, but I dont know,and is eastern gate refering to the Gate of Heaven, and if is, then why would you meet someone there in the morning?Also, should Catholics sing ‘Rock Of Ages’ because I like it but the second verse doesnt sound very Catholic.Thanks to everyone who replies.🙂
 
These are unfamiliar hymns to many of us. Could you please post the text so we can know what you’re talking about?

Betsy
 
I got them from this online singbook:
my.homewithGod.com/heavenlymidis.

Here are the words-
Great Speckled Bird:
What a beautiful thought I am thinking,
Concerning a great speckled bird.
Remember her name is recorded,
On the pages of God’s Holy Word.
All the other birds flocking 'round her
And she is despised by the squad.
But the great speckled bird in the Bible
Is one with the great Church of God.

All other churches are against her,
They envy her glory and fame.
They hate her because she is chosen
And has not denied Jesus’ name.

Desiring to lower her standard,
They watch every move that she makes
They long to find fault with her teachings,
But really they find no mistake.

She is spreading her wings for a journey.
She’s going to leave by and by;
When the trumpet shall sound in the morning,
She’ll rise and go up in the sky.

In the presence of all her despisers,
With a song never uttered before,
She will rise and be gone in a moment
'Til the great tribulation is o’er.

I am glad I have learned of her meekness.
I am proud that my name is on her book,
For I want to be one never fearing
On the face of my Savior to look.

When He cometh descending from heaven,
On a cloud like He writes in His Word,
I’ll be joyfully carried to meet Him
On the wings of that great speckled bird.

Eastern Gate:
I will meet you in the morning,
Just inside the Eastern Gate;
Then be ready, faithful pilgrim,
Lest with you it be too late.

I will meet you in the morning
I will meet you in the morning
Just inside the Eastern Gate over there;
I will meet you in the morning
I will meet you in the morning
I will meet you in the morning over there.
If you hasten off to glory,
Linger near the Eastern Gate,
For I’m coming in the morning,
So you’ll not have long to wait.

I will meet you in the morning
I will meet you in the morning
Just inside the Eastern Gate over there;
I will meet you in the morning
I will meet you in the morning
I will meet you in the morning over there.
I will meet you!
I will meet you!
I will meet you over there,
I will meet you!
I will meet you!
Meet you in the morning over there.

Keep your lamps all trimmed and burning,
For the Bridegroom watch and wait;
He’ll be with us at the meeting,
Just inside the Eastern Gate.

I will meet you in the morning
I will meet you in the morning
Just inside the Eastern Gate over there;
I will meet you in the morning
I will meet you in the morning
I will meet you in the morning over there.
O, the joy of that glad meeting,
With the saints who for us wait!
What a blessed, happy meeting,
Just inside the Eastern Gate.

I will meet you in the morning
I will meet you in the morning
Just inside the Eastern Gate over there;
I will meet you in the morning
I will meet you in the morning
I will meet you in the morning over there.
I will meet you!
I will meet you!
I will meet you over there,
I will meet you!
I will meet you!
Meet you in the morning over there.

Rock of ages:
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.
Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
 
I’ll leave the interpretation of the first two for the others.

To me, “Rock of Ages” refers to the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice and our utter inability to save ourselves. To be sure, we must cooperate with all the graces of the Cross, but it is Christ alone who earned our salvation.

Betsy
 
The lyrics for “Great Speckeled Bird” that you post here seem different than the traditional lyrics for that song as I know them. This evening, I will pull out my hymnal collection and then will respond.

The Great Speckled Bird is a song based on the King James Version of Jer 12:9, read the context to get the full picture.

The song Eastern Gate is a song about heaven, based on again KJV Ezekiel chapters 43 and 44.
 
And Marty Robbins did a great rendition of Great Speckled Bird.
 
So did the late and great Roy Acuff of Grand Ol Opry fame. I guess I never really considered it a hymn, but it sure has great lyrics.
 
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