Scripture Verse

Open your eyes and look at the fields, because they are ready for harvest. John 4:35

Introduction

Words & Mu­sic: Clar­ence M. Sea­mans, 1905 (🔊 pdf nwc). Ap­peared in Ca­rols of Hope (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Ad­vent Chris­tian Pub­li­ca­tion So­cie­ty, 1906), page 8. Note: Bass and ten­or voices sing the me­lo­dy for the first half of the re­frain. See score for de­tails.

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Sea­mans (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

illustration
Harvesting the Sheaves
George Clausen (1852–1944)

Lyrics

Who will work for Je­sus in the har­vest field,
The sheaves to gar­ner in?
Who to­day will join us and the sick­le wield,
These pre­cious souls to win?

Refrain

Go, ga­ther in the rip­ened sheaves,
O do not long­er now de­lay.
Go and work for Je­sus in the har­vest field,
Go forth and work to­day.

Every sin­gle corner of this world­wide field
Is white with rip­ened grain;
Faithful, ear­nest ef­fort will a har­vest yield—
God’s work is not in vain.

Refrain

See the host around us who the Lord’s might be!
O do not now de­lay!
Think of wait­ing mil­lions far across the sea!
Go forth and work to­day.

Refrain

There’s a crown await­ing ev­ery faith­ful one
Who lends a help­ing hand;
Jesus soon is com­ing and will say, Well done
To all the mis­sion band.

Refrain