Scripture Verse

I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. John 9:4

Introduction

portrait
Luther O. Emerson
(1820–1915)

Words: John S. Ad­ams, in Glad Tid­ings, ed­it­ed by Lu­ther Em­er­son & Le­on­ard B. Stark­wea­ther (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Ol­iv­er Dit­son, 1869), page 48.

Music: Muğ­la Lu­ther O. Em­er­son, 1869 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

I hear the an­gels call­ing,
They’re call­ing me away;
I must be up and la­bor,
Must work while it is day.

Refrain

No more I wait, but ear­nest,
Begin at ear­ly morn;
For an­gels now are call­ing,
And I shall soon be gone.

There are pains that I can soft­en,
And bur­dens I may share;
And hopes with which to bright­en
The sha­dows of des­pair.

Refrain

Then, when the day is clos­ing,
The wea­ry shall have rest,
The mourn­ers cease to lang­uish;
Peace reigns in ev­ery breast.

Refrain