Jesus a child His work begun:
How radiant dawned His heavenly day!
And those who such a race would run
As early should be on their way.

His Father’s business was His care;
Yet in man’s favor still He grew;
O might we learn by thought and prayer,
Like Him a work of love to do!

For all mankind He came, nor yet
An infant’s visit would deny;
Nor friend nor mother did forget
In His last hour of agony.

O children, ask Him to impart
That spirit clear, that temper mild,
Which made the mother in her heart
Keep all the sayings of her Child.

Bless Him Who said, of such as you
His Father’s kingdom is: and still,
His yoke to bear, His work to do,
Study His life to learn His will.

O Master Workman of the race, Thou Man of Galilee,
Who with the eyes of early youth eternal things did see,
We thank Thee for Thy boyhood faith that shone Thy whole life through;
“Did ye not know it is My work, My Father’s work to do?”

O Carpenter of Nazareth, Builder of life divine,
Who shapest man to God’s own law, Thyself the fair design,
Build us a tower of Christlike height, that we the land may view,
And see, like Thee, our noblest work, our Father’s work to do.

O Thou Who dost the vision send and givest each his task,
And with the task sufficient strength, show us Thy will, we ask;
Give us a conscience bold and good, give us a purpose true,
That it may be our highest joy our Father’s work to do.

Let us be about our Father’s business,
Ev’ry day, as we go
On our way here below:
Never let it suffer thro’ remissness,
But seek to make it thrive and grow.

Refrain

Then respond to the call,
He has use for us all,
And His work is a labor of love;
And the days soon will come
In the great Harvest Home,
For our rest and rejoicing above.

Do you ask what is the work He sends us?
’Tis whate’er we can do,
’Tis to bear and be true,
And to use the talents that He lends us,
That others may accept Him too.

Refrain

When in Heaven and the toil is ended,
Oh, what bliss it will be
In that place then to see
Those dear souls whom we on earth befriended,
And led to Him Who made them free.

Refrain

In stature grows the heavenly Child,
With death before His eyes;
A Lamb unblemished, meek and mild,
Prepared for sacrifice.

The Son of God His glory hides
With parents mean and poor;
And He Who made the heaven abides
In dwelling place obscure.

Those mighty hands that stay the sky
No earthly toil refuse;
And He Who set the stars on high
An humble trade pursues.

He before Whom the angels stand,
At Whose behest they fly,
Now yields himself to man’s command,
And lay His glory by.

Jesu, the virgin’s holy Son,
We praise Thee and adore,
Who art with god the Father One,
And Spirit evermore.

O Christ, who didst our tasks fulfill,
Didst share the hopes of youth,
Our Savior and our Brother still,
Now lead us into truth.

The call is Thine: be Thou the Way,
And Thine the hearts that guide;
Let wisdom broaden with the day,
Let human faith abide.

Who learns of Thee the truth shall find,
Who follows, wins the goal;
With reverence crown the earnest mind,
And speak within the soul.

Waken the purpose high which strives,
And, falling, stands again;
Confirm the will of eager lives
To quit themselves like men.

Thy life the bond of fellowship,
Thy love the law that rules,
Thy Name, proclaimed by every lip,
The Master of our schools.

O holy Lord, content to fill
In lowly home the lowliest place,
Thy childhood’s law a mother’s will,
Obedience meek Thy brightest grace;

Lead every child that bears Thy Name
To walk in Thine own guileless way,
To dread the touch of sin and shame,
And humbly, like Thyself, obey.

O let not this world’s scorching glow
Thy Spirit’s quickening dew efface,
Nor blast of sin to rudely blow,
And quench the trembling flame of grace.

Gather Thy lambs within Thine arm,
And gently in Thy bosom bear;
Keep them, O Lord, from hurt and harm,
And bid them rest for ever there.

So shall they, waiting here below,
Like Thee their Lord, a little span,
In wisdom and in stature grow,
And favor with both God and man.

O Jesus, once a Nazareth boy,
And tempted like as we,
All inward foes help us destroy
And spotless all to be.
We trust Thee for the grace to win
The high, victorious, goal,
Where purity shall conquer sin
In Christlike self control.

O Jesus, Prince of life and truth,
Beneath Thy banner bright,
We dedicate our strength and youth
To battle for the right;
We give our lives with glad intent
To serve the world and Thee,
To die, to suffer and be spent
To set our brothers free.

In serried ranks, we fearless tread,
O Captain of us all,
Thy glory on our banners shed,
We answer to Thy call;
And where the fiercest battles press
Against the hosts of sin,
To rescue those in dire distress
We gladly enter in.