Hymns 101

The first hymn I learned was " The Churches One Foundation".

I'm very fond of "Our God Our Help In Ages Past". Also love "Come Labor On" - T. Tertius Noble.. It has that really magnificent quality. The words are a bit suspect, me being a peasant!

Come labor on!
Who dares stand idle on the harvest plain,
While all around them waves the golden grain.

it ends with the master telling the servants that it was well done.
Come labor on.
The enemy is watching night and day.
To (??) and snatch the seed away.

Verse 1) Come, labor on.
Who dares stand idle on the harvest plain, while all around us waves the golden grain?
And to each servant does the Master say “Go work today.”


Verse 2) Come labor on.
The enemy is watching night and day, to sow the tares, to snatch the seed away; while we in sleep our duty have forgot, he slumbered not.


Verse 3) Come labor on.
Away with gloomy doubts and faithless fear!
No arm so weak but may do service here: by feeblest agents may our God fulfill his righteous will.


Verse 4) Come labor on.
Claim the high calling angels cannot share—to young and old the Gospel gladness bear: redeem the time; its hours too swiftly fly, the night draws nigh.


Verse 5) Come labor on.
No time for rest, till glows the western sky, till the long shadows o’er our pathway lie, and a glad sound comes with the setting sun, servants, well done.

(from The Hymnbook 1982)