Jesus a child His work begun:
How radiant dawned His heavenly day!
And those who such a race would run
As early should be on their way.

His Father’s business was His care;
Yet in man’s favor still He grew;
O might we learn by thought and prayer,
Like Him a work of love to do!

For all mankind He came, nor yet
An infant’s visit would deny;
Nor friend nor mother did forget
In His last hour of agony.

O children, ask Him to impart
That spirit clear, that temper mild,
Which made the mother in her heart
Keep all the sayings of her Child.

Bless Him Who said, of such as you
His Father’s kingdom is: and still,
His yoke to bear, His work to do,
Study His life to learn His will.

O Master Workman of the race, Thou Man of Galilee,
Who with the eyes of early youth eternal things did see,
We thank Thee for Thy boyhood faith that shone Thy whole life through;
“Did ye not know it is My work, My Father’s work to do?”

O Carpenter of Nazareth, Builder of life divine,
Who shapest man to God’s own law, Thyself the fair design,
Build us a tower of Christlike height, that we the land may view,
And see, like Thee, our noblest work, our Father’s work to do.

O Thou Who dost the vision send and givest each his task,
And with the task sufficient strength, show us Thy will, we ask;
Give us a conscience bold and good, give us a purpose true,
That it may be our highest joy our Father’s work to do.

Let us be about our Father’s business,
Ev’ry day, as we go
On our way here below:
Never let it suffer thro’ remissness,
But seek to make it thrive and grow.

Refrain

Then respond to the call,
He has use for us all,
And His work is a labor of love;
And the days soon will come
In the great Harvest Home,
For our rest and rejoicing above.

Do you ask what is the work He sends us?
’Tis whate’er we can do,
’Tis to bear and be true,
And to use the talents that He lends us,
That others may accept Him too.

Refrain

When in Heaven and the toil is ended,
Oh, what bliss it will be
In that place then to see
Those dear souls whom we on earth befriended,
And led to Him Who made them free.

Refrain