Scripture Verse

Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. Matthew 13:30

Introduction

Words: Mat­tie M. Bo­tel­er, 1905.

Music: John R. Bry­ant (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Bry­ant (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), or a bet­ter one of Bo­tel­er,

portrait
Mattie M. Boteler (1860–1929)

Lyrics

In the field by the way­side
Grow the wheat and tares to­ge­ther,
And they both in the sun­light
Now ap­pear so fair to see;
But the har­vest is com­ing
When to­ge­ther they’ll be ga­thered,
And the se­pa­ra­tion day then shall be.

Refrain

What then shall be your har­vest,
When the dread­ful day you see?
Will you with the wick­ed stand,
Or ap­pear at His right hand?
When the saints are meet­ing there,
What a greet­ing in the air,
Will you with the right­eous be?

Satan came while the keep­er
Was asleep and sown with mal­ice
Far and wide in the fal­low
Ground he scat­tered seeds of sin;
The re­morse now of con­science
Maybe fills your rest­less spir­it,
And the dread­ed days of har­vest begin.

Refrain

In the field of your heart is
Plenty fal­low ground, my bro­ther,
And the seed of the Word
Abundant fall­eth there to­night;
Will you cher­ish and nour­ish
It and give it place of wel­come?
Will you take your stand
For God and for right?

Refrain

Will you let Him up­root the
Thorns and bri­ars that en­cum­ber?
Let Him plant in your heart His
Precious im­age there in­stead?
Will you find o’er the thou­sand
Fold it pays you with­out num­ber
When the sheaves of time
Have been har­vest­ed?

Refrain