Scripture Verse

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Matthew 6:19

Introduction

portrait
William P. Merrill (1867–1954)

Words: Will­iam P. Mer­rill, 1911. First pub­lished in the Pres­by­ter­ian news­pa­per The Con­ti­nent.

Music: Fes­tal Song Will­iam H. Wal­ter, in the Epis­co­pal Hym­nal with Tunes Old and New, by John I. Tuck­er, 1872 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

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

Origin of the Hymn

Nolan R. Best, then ed­it­or of The Con­ti­nent, hap­pened to say to me that there was ur­gent need of a bro­ther­hood hymn…The sug­ges­tion lin­gered in my mind, and just about that time I came upon an ar­ti­cle by Ger­ald Stan­ley Lee, en­ti­tled The Church of the Strong Men.

I was on one of the Lake Mi­chi­gan steam­ers go­ing back to Chi­ca­go for a Sun­day at my own church, when sud­den­ly this hymn came up, al­most with­out con­scious thought or ef­fort.

Laufer, pp. 132–33

Lyrics

Rise up, O men of God!
Have done with less­er things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
To serve the King of kings.

Rise up, O men of God!
The king­dom tar­ries long.
Bring in the day of bro­ther­hood
And end the night of wrong.

Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you doth wait,
Her strength un­equ­al to her task;
Rise up and make her great!

Lift high the cross of Christ!
Tread where His feet have trod.
As bro­thers of the Son of Man,
Rise up, O men of God!