Scripture Verse

Commit your works to the Lord. Proverbs 16:3

Introduction

portrait
Mary Lathbury (1841–1913)

Words: Ma­ry A. Lath­bu­ry, in the North­field Hym­nal (Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Big­low & Main, 1902). Though we don’t know the song’s ori­gin, it seems to sug­gest Lath­bu­ry was reach­ing out to gar­ment fac­to­ry wor­kers. The po­em, orig­in­al­ly ti­tled Song of Hope, won the Hull House Prize around 1896. Rod Ser­ling quot­ed the words on March 7, 1963, while nar­rat­ing the epi­sode No Time Like the Past on his te­le­vi­sion show The Twil­ight Zone.

Music: George C. Steb­bins (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
George Stebbins
(1846–1945)

Lyrics

Children of yes­ter­day, heirs of to­mor­row,
What are you weav­ing? La­bor and sor­row?
Look to your loom again, fast­er and faster
Fly the great shut­tles pre­pared by the Mas­ter.
There’s life in the loom! Room for it, room!
There’s life in the loom! Room for it, room!

Children of yes­ter­day, heirs of to­mor­row,
Lighten the la­bor and sweet­en the sor­row;
Now while the shut­tles fly fast­er and fast­er,
Up and be do­ing the work with the Mas­ter.
He stands at the loom! Room for Him, room!
He stands at the loom! Room for Him, room!

Children of yes­ter­day, heirs of to­mor­row,
Look at your fab­ric of la­bor and sor­row;
Seamy and dark with des­pair and dis­as­ter,
Turn it and lo, the de­sign of the Mas­ter.
The Lord’s at the loom! Room for Him, room!
The Lord’s at the loom! Room for Him, room!