Scripture Verse

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord. Colossians 3:23

Introduction

portrait
Geoffrey Shaw (1879–1943)

Words: Will­iam G. Tar­rant, in The Fel­low­ship Hymn Book (Lon­don: P.S.A. Bro­ther­hood Pub­lish­ing House, 1908), num­ber 102.

Music: Eng­land’s Lane tra­di­tion­al Eng­lish tune. Ar­ranged by Geoff­rey T. Shaw, 1919 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

portrait
William Tarrant (1853–1928)

Lyrics

Welcome, morn­ing, bright and blue!
Sings the man with work to do.
Forth the stur­dy toil­ers fare,
Strong the ci­ty’s life to share,
Strong to serve, at mill or mart,
With the head and with the heart.

Happy hours, when men com­bined
Fullest joys to­ge­ther find;
Thought, and skill, and strength, at one,
Tasks con­ceived, at­tempt­ed, done,
Use and beauty called to birth
’Mid the rug­ged things of earth.

When the sun is sink­ing low
Back again the toil­ers go,
Songs, and smiles, and child­ren’s play,
Soothe the stress of toil away,
And the ci­ty’s cir­cle round
With the lights of home is crowned.

Is there in our na­tive land
Evil heart, or idle hand?
Mighty Work­er, set us free
All to love and work with Thee,
So that ev­ery day may bring
Songs of joy for all to sing.