Wayfaring Stranger

A man who has went out into the world to make his fortune, but has decided that he was really better of at home, where he's "free from every trial."

Nice try. But no. It is about struggling through the troubles of the world on your way to heaven. It is a traditional "white spiritual" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poor_Wayfaring_Stranger

For me the Wayfarin Stranger is the travelor. Life has been a long hard journey especially adding on the loss of both parents. I don't agree with another post about the stranger being Jesus. I believe Jesus is mentioned here in the lyrics as the savior. The stranger is looking forward to seeing his mother and father, looking toward beiung with the savior in heaven.

Just what I got from it from personal my own personal journey and how overwhelming life can feel sometimes.

Actually, I was thinking about ... "what if this song is about Jesus being the poor wayfaring stranger?" It seems weird at first, but then we can find meanings to this. The song´s name would be a humble way to identify Him. "There is no sickness, toil, nor danger" would be the things he found/faced here but won't be found there, in the heaven, to where He goes. Just like mentioning the Jordan river. The third strophe would be his pahway on Earth (passion) and difficulties He was going to face. As the fifth strophe, "I'll soon be free from every trial" is related to judgement He faced until being crucified; and so there, "soon" He was just about to be free of it, and leave this body ("This form shall rest beneath the sun"). And finally, He would get down from "the cross of self-denial and enter in that home with God". I just think this is way this song makes more sense for me...