Scripture Verse

Go work today in My vineyard. Matthew 21:28

Introduction

portrait
Isaiah Baltzell (1832–1893)

Words & Mu­sic: Isai­ah Balt­zell (1832–1893), in the Gold­en Harp, De­di­cat­ed to Mrs. M. B. Had­ley, Mis­sion­ary to Af­ri­ca (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know when this song was writ­ten,

Lyrics

Far away, be­yond the sea,
Where the fields are bright and fair,
There’s a call, a plaint­ive plea;
I must hast­en to be there.

Refrain

Let me go, I can­not stay,
’Tis the Mas­ter call­ing me;
Let me go, I must ob­ey;
Native land, fare­well to thee.

Hark! I hear the Mas­ter say,
Up, ye reap­ers! why so slow?
To the vine­yard far away,
Earthly kin­dred, let me go.

Refrain

Just be­yond the roll­ing tide
The up­lift­ed hand I see;
Lo! the gates are op­en wide,
And the lost are call­ing me.

Refrain

Father, mo­ther, sis­ter dear,
I must bid you all adieu;
Hark! the call is sound­ing clear,
There’s a work for me to do.

Refrain

Bear me on, thou rest­less sea,
Let the winds the can­vas swell;
Afric’s shore I long to see,
[substitute name of coun­try to suit]
Native land, fare­well, fare­well.

Refrain