Scripture Verse

Why stand ye here all the day idle? Matthew 20:6

Introduction

Words: Har­ri­et B. Mc­Kee­ver, in Joy to the World, ed­it­ed by Tul­li­us C. O’Kane, John Swe­ney & Charles C. Mc­Cabe (Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio: Hitch­cock & Wal­den, 1878), num­ber 85.

Music: John R. Swe­ney (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
John R. Sweney (1837–1899)

Lyrics

In a world so full of weep­ing,
While the years are roll­ing on,
Christian souls the watch are keep­ing,
While the years are roll­ing on.
While our jour­ney we pur­sue,
With the ha­ven still in view,
There is work for us to do,
While the years are roll­ing on.

Refrain

Are roll­ing on, are roll­ing on,
Are roll­ing on, are roll­ing on,
Oh, the good we may be do­ing,
While the years are roll­ing on.

There’s no time to waste in sigh­ing,
While the years are roll­ing on;
Time is fly­ing, souls are dy­ing,
While the years are roll­ing on.
Loving words a soul may win
From the wretch­ed paths of sin;
We may bring the wan­der­ers in,
While the years are roll­ing on.

Refrain

Let us strength­en one ano­ther,
While the years are roll­ing on;
Seek to raise a fall­en bro­ther,
While the years are roll­ing on.
This is work for ev­ery hand,
Till, through­out cre­ation’s land,
Armies for the Lord shall stand,
While the years are roll­ing on.

Refrain

Friends we love are quick­ly fly­ing,
While the years are roll­ing on;
No more part­ing, no more dy­ing,
While the years are roll­ing on.
In the world be­yond the tomb
Sorrow ne­ver­more can come,
When we meet in that blest home,
While the years are roll­ing on.

Refrain