Today’s hymn comes from Kittie Suffield (1884-1972), a talented American musician and singer, who travelled with her husband, Fred Suffield, an evangelist. They sometimes worked with George Beverly Shea, the song director for the Billy Graham crusades¹. With this background it makes sense that Mrs Suffield would write a song about missions and spreading the gospel. I hope you find this one encouraging today; enjoy!

In the harvest field now ripened,
There’s a work for all to do.
Hark, the voice of God is calling,
To the harvest calling you.

Refrain
Little is much when God is in it.
Labor not for wealth or fame.
There’s a crown and you can win it,
If you go in Jesus’ Name.

In the mad rush of the broad way,
In the hurry and the strife,
Tell of Jesus’ love and mercy,
Give to them the Word of Life. [Refrain]

Does the place you’re called to labor
Seem so small and little known?
It is great if God is in it,
And He’ll not forget His own. [Refrain]

Are you laid aside from service,
Body worn from toil and care?
You can still be in the battle,
In the sacred place of prayer. [Refrain]

When the conflict here is ended
And our race on earth is run,
He will say, if we are faithful,
“Welcome home, My child well done!” [Refrain]

¹https://hymnstudiesblog.wordpress.com/2020/07/19/little-is-much-when-god-is-in-it/comment-page-1/

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Today’s hymn is mission focused and comes from Arthur Campbell Ainger (1894-1919), a son of an Ang­li­can priest. He at­tend­ed Eton and Tri­ni­ty Col­lege, Cam­bridge (BA 1860, MA 1864), and became a schoolmaster at Eton from 1864-1901. He wrote the text (as well as numerous others) for use by the boys at Eton College. Dedicated to Edward W. Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury, the text was first issued as a leaflet and then published in the Hymn Book of the Church Missionary Society (1899)¹. I’ve included below a traditional version and a modern rendition; I hope you enjoy this one!

God is working this purpose out,
as year succeeds to year;
God is working this purpose out,
and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be:
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.

From utmost east to utmost west,
where human feet have trod,
by the mouth of many messengers
goes forth the voice of God:
“Give ear to me, ye continents,
ye isles, give ear to me,
that the earth may be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.”

Let us go forth in the strength of God,
with the banner of Christ unfurled,
that the light of the glorious gospel of truth
may shine throughout the world.
Let us all fight with sorrow and sin
to set the captives free,
that the earth may be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.

All we can do is nothing worth
unless God blesses the deed.
Vainly we hope for the harvest-tide
till God gives life to the seed.
Yet nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.

¹hymnary.org/text/god_is_working_his_purpose_out

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Today’s hymn is written by Samuel Walcott in 1869 during Y.M.C.A. convention held in Cleveland, Ohio, on February 7, 1869, where the theme was “Christ for the world, and the world for Christ.” Evergreen branches spelled out these words on the stage above the speaker’s podium. Samuel Wolcott, pastor of Plymouth Congregational Church in Cleveland, returned to the parsonage after reflecting on the theme and wrote this text. It was paired to ITALIAN HYMN (associated with “Come, Thou Almighty King”) by noted gospel song composer William H. Doane (1832-1915)¹. Enjoy!

Christ for the world we sing; 
the world to Christ we bring 
with loving zeal:
the poor and them that mourn, 
the faint and overborne, 
sin-sick and sorrow-worn, 
for Christ doth heal. 

Christ for the world we sing; 
the world to Christ we bring 
with fervent pray’r: 
the wayward and the lost, 
by restless passions tossed, 
redeemed at countless cost 
from dark despair. 

Christ for the world we sing; 
the world to Christ we bring 
with one accord:
with us the work to share, 
with us reproach to dare, 
with us the cross to bear, 
for Christ our Lord. 

Christ for the world we sing; 
the world to Christ we bring 
with joyful song:
the newborn souls whose days, 
reclaimed from error’s ways,
inspired with hope and praise, 
to Christ belong.

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¹umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-christ-for-the-world-we-sing