642

GO LABOR on; spend and be spent,
Thy joy to do the Father's will;
It is the way the Master went,

L. M.

Should not the servant tread it still?

2 Go, labor on; enough, while here,
If He shall praise thee, if He deign
The willing heart to mark and cheer:
No toil for Him shall be in vain.

3 Go, labor on, while it is day,

The world's dark night is hastening on. Speed, speed thy work! cast sloth away! It is not thus that souls are won.

4 Toil on, faint not, keep watch, and pray;
Be wise the erring soul to win;
Go forth into the world's highway,
Compel the wanderer to come in.

5 Toil on, and in thy toil rejoice;

For toil comes rest, for exile home; Soon shalt thou hear the Bridegroom's voice, The midnight peal, "Behold, I come!"

643

H. Bonar.

LORD of the living harvest
That whitens o'er the plain,
Where angels soon shall gather
Their sheaves of golden grain,
Accept these hands to labor,
These hearts to trust and love,
And deign with them to hasten
Thy kingdom from above.

7s, 6s. 81.

2 As lab'rers in Thy vineyard
Still faithful may they be,
Content to bear the burden
Of weary days for Thee;
To ask no other wages,

When Thou shalt call them home,
But to have shared the travail
Which makes Thy kingdom come.

3 Be with them, God the Father;
Be with them, God the Son;
And God the Holy Spirit,

Most blessed Three in One!
Within Thy sacred temple

Be with them where they stand,
To guide and teach Thy people
Throughout our native land.

644

J. S. B. Monsell.

S. M.

LORD of the harvest, hear
Thy needy servants' cry;

Answer our faith's effectual prayer,
And all our wants supply.

2 On Thee we humbly wait,
Our wants are in Thy view :
The harvest, truly, Lord, is great,
The laborers are few.

3 Convert and send forth more
Into Thy Church abroad,

And let them speak Thy word of power,
As workers with their God.

4 Oh, let them spread Thy name,
Their mission fully prove:
Thy universal grace proclaim,
Thine all-redeeming love.

C. Wesley.

645

HOW BEAUTEOUS are their feet,
Who stand on Zion's hill;

S. M.

Who bring salvation on their tongues,
And words of peace reveal!

2 How charming is their voice; How sweet their tidings are ! "Zion, behold thy Saviour-King, He reigns and triumphs here.'

3 How happy are our ears

That hear this joyful sound,
Which kings and prophets waited for,
And sought, but never found.

4 How blessèd are our eyes

That see this heavenly light;
Prophets and kings desired it long,
But died without the sight.

5 The watchmen join their voice,
And tuneful notes employ;
Jerusalem breaks forth in songs,
And deserts learn the joy.

6 The Lord makes bare His arm
Through all the earth abroad:
Let every nation now behold
Their Saviour and their God.

Each age its solemn task may claim but

once ;

Make each a nobler, stronger than the last!

2 Anoint them prophets ! Make their ears

attent

To Thy divinest speech; their hearts awake

To human need; their lips make eloquent To assure the right, and every evil break.

3 Anoint them priests! Strong intercessors they

For pardon, and for charity and peace! Ah, if with them the world might pass, astray,

Into the dear Christ's life of sacrifice!

4 Anoint them kings! aye kingly kings, O Lord!

Anoint them with the spirit of Thy Son! Theirs, not a jewelled crown, a bloodstained sword;

Theirs, by sweet love, for Christ a kingdom won!

5 Make them apostles! Heralds of Thy cross; Forth may they go to tell all realms Thy grace;

Inspired of Thee, may they count all but loss,

And stand at last with joy before Thy face.

6 O mighty age of prophet-kings, return!

O truth, O faith, enrich our urgent time! Lord Jesus Christ, again with us sojourn ; A weary world awaits Thy reign sublime!

D. Wortman.

647

10,6,10,6,8,8,4.

FATHER, of heaven, who hast created all In wisest love, we pray,

Look on this child, who at Thy gracious call

Is ent'ring on life's way.

Oh, make it Thine, Thy blessing give,
That to Thy glory it may live,
Father of heaven.

2 O Son of God, atoning Lord, behold We bring this child to Thee;

Take it, O loving Shepherd, to Thy fold,
Forever Thine to be:

Defend it through this earthly strife
And lead it in the path of life,
O Son of God.

3 O Holy Ghost, who broodest o'er the wave Descend upon this child

Give it undying life, its spirit lave
With waters undefiled;

And make it evermore to be

A child of God, a home for Thee,
O Holy Ghost.

4 O Triune God, what Thou hast willed is done;

We speak but Thine the might;

This child hath scarce yet seen our earthly sun,

Yet pour on it Thy light

Of faith, and hope, and joyful love,
Thou Sun of all below, above,

O Triune God.

A. Knapp. Tr. C. Winkworth.