Scripture Verse

Go…teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Matthew 28:19–20

Introduction

portrait
John B. Dykes (1823–1876)

Words: Will­iam San­ders and Hugh Bourne, in the Large Hymn Book for the Use of the Pri­mi­tive Me­tho­dists (Bem­ers­ley, near Tun­stall, Stoke-on-Trent, Eng­land: Pri­mi­tive Met­ho­dist Con­nex­ion, 1824), num­ber 391.

Music: Ge­ron­ti­us John B. Dykes, in Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, 1868 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

portrait
Hugh Bourne (1772–1852)

Lyrics

Commissioned by the great I AM
I leave my friends and home,
To spread the tri­umphs of His name,
O’er de­sert wastes I roam.

While the whole coun­sel of the Lord,
I shun not to de­clare,
May sin­ners fall be­fore the Word,
And lift their hearts in pray­er.

My soul, at times, is much cast down,
And pressed with pain and toil,
But I’ll not dread the sin­ner’s frown,
Nor will I court their smile.

Though grief and sor­row be my lot,
I short­ly shall be free;
And whe­ther I’m re­proached or not,
May God re­mem­ber me.

I soon shall quit this cum­brous clay,
And fly to Je­sus’ breast;
Angels will bear my soul away,
To ev­er­last­ing rest.