Scripture Verse

Pray ye…the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers. Matthew 9:38

Introduction

portrait
Maria F. Anderson
1819–1895

Words: Ma­ria F. An­der­son, 1848.

Music: Webb George J. Webb, 1830 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a bet­ter pho­to of Webb,

portrait
George J. Webb (1803–1887)

Dr. George B. Ide, pas­tor of the First Bap­tist Church in Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia, had seen An­der­son’s po­et­ry in the Chris­tian Chro­ni­cle, and asked if she would write a home mis­sion hymn for the Bap­tist Harp he was com­pil­ing. She agreed, and this hymn was first sung at a home mis­sion meet­ing at Ide’s church.

Lyrics

Our country’s voice is pleading,
Ye men of God, arise!
His providence is leading,
The land before you lies;
Day-gleams o’er it are brightening,
And promise clothes the soil;
Wide fields, for harvest whitening,
Invite the reaper’s toil.

Go where the waves are breaking
On Ca­li­for­nia’s shore,
Christ’s precious Gos­pel taking,
More rich than golden ore;
On Allegheny’s mountains,
Through all the western vale,
Beside Missouri’s fountains,
Rehearse the wondrous tale.

Where prairie flowers are blooming
Plant Sharon’s fairer rose;
The farthest wilds illuming,
With light that ever glows;
To each lone forest ranger,
The Word of Life unseal;
To every exile stranger,
Its saving truths reveal.

The love of Christ unfolding,
Speed on from east to west,
Till all, His cross beholding,
In Him are fully blest.
Great Author of sal­va­tion,
Haste, haste the glo­ri­ous day,
When we, a ransomed nation,
Thy scepter shall obey!