Scripture Verse

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me. Matthew 25:40

Introduction

portrait
George F. LeJeune (1841–1904)

Words: Hen­ry J. van Dyke, 1909.

Music: Love Di­vine (Le­Jeune) George F. Le­Jeune, 1872 (🔊 pdf nwc). The mu­sic was orig­in­al­ly writ­ten for Love Di­vine, All Loves Ex­cel­ling.

If you know where to get a bet­ter pho­to of Le­Jeune,

portrait
Henry J. Van Dyke (1852–1933)

Lyrics

Jesus, Thou di­vine com­pan­ion,
By Thy low­ly hu­man birth
Thou hast come to join the work­ers,
Burden bear­ers of the earth.
Thou, the car­pen­ter of Na­za­reth,
Toiling for Thy dai­ly food,
By Thy pa­tience and Thy cour­age,
Thou hast taught us toil is good.

They who tread the path of la­bor
Follow where Thy feet have trod;
They who work without com­plain­ing
Do the ho­ly will of God.
Thou, the peace that pass­eth know­ledge,
Dwellest in the dai­ly strife;
Thou, the bread of Hea­ven, brok­en
In the sac­ra­ment of life.

Every task, how­ev­er sim­ple,
Sets the soul that does it free;
Every deed of love and kind­ness
Done to man is done to Thee.
Jesus, Thou di­vine com­pan­ion,
Help us all to do our best;
Bless us in our dai­ly la­bor,
Lead us to the Sab­bath rest.