“Go work in My vineyard,” there’s plenty to do;
The harvest is great and the lab’rers are few;
There’s weeding and fencing, and clearing of roots,
And plowing, and sowing, and gath’ring of fruits.
There are foxes to take, there are wolves to destroy,
All ages and ranks I can fully employ;
I’ve sheep to be tended, and lambs to be fed;
The lost must be gathered, the weary ones led.

Refrain

Go work, go work, go work in My vineyard; there’s plenty to do;
Go work, go work, the harvest is great, and the lab’rers are few.

“Go work in My vineyard”; I claim thee as Mine;
With blood did I buy thee and all that is thine—
Thy time and thy talents, thy loftiest powers,
Thy warmest affections, thy sunniest hours.
I willingly yielded My kingdom for thee,
The song of archangels— to hang on the tree,
In pain and temptation, in anguish and shame,
I paid thy full ransom; My purchase I claim

Refrain

“Go work in My vineyard”; oh, work while ’tis day!
The bright hours of sunshine are hastening away,
And night’s gloomy shadows are gathering fast;
The time for our labor will ever be past.
Begin in the morning and toil all the day;
Thy strength I’ll supply, and thy wages I’ll pay;
And blessèd, thrice blessèd, the diligent few,
Who finish the labor I’ve giv’n them to do.

Refrain

Though the work of life be lowly,
Let me true and faithful be;
This the thought that makes it holy—
Christ has set the task for me.

Refrain

He has set the task for me!
He has set the task for me!
This the thought that makes it holy—
Christ has set the task for me!

Hush, O heart, thy wild ambition!
Toil, O hands, in service free!
Blest indeed is my condition—
Christ has set the task for me.

Refrain

Christ, I know, will not forget me
When at length the evening falls;
From the place where He has set me
I will answer when He calls.

Refrain

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

O God, who workest hitherto,
Working in all we see,
Fain we would be, and bear, and do,
As best it pleaseth Thee.

The toil of brain, or heart, or hand,
Is man’s appointed lot;
He who Thy call can understand
Will work, and murmur not.

Where’er Thou sendest we will go,
Nor any question ask,
And what Thou biddest we will do,
Whatever be the task.

Our skill of hand and strength of limb
Are not our own, but Thine;
We link them to the work of Him
Who made all life divine.

Our Brother-Friend, Thy holy Son,
Shared all our lot and strife;
And nobly will our work be done
If molded by His life.

Out where the reapers are toiling
Out where they earnestly call,
Let us away in the morning,
There is a work for us all;
Lifting the vines that are drooping,
Trying their bloom to renew,
Bathing their leaves in a fountain
Purer and sweeter than dew.

Refrain

Out where the reapers are toiling,
Out where they earnestly call,
Let us away, away in the morning,
There is a work for us all.

Out where the gleaners are toiling,
Patiently, cheerfully still,
If we are willing to labor,
Here is a place we can fill;
Speaking a word to the weary,
Helping the weak ones along,
Shedding bright sunshine around them,
Cheering their hearts with a song.

Refrain

Out where the sheaves they are binding,
Sheaves for the garner above,
Go in the Name of the Master,
Go in the spirit of love;
Hark! He is tenderly saying,
“Work in My vineyard today”;
Haste, for the summer is waning,
Harvest is passing away.

Refrain