Behold a Sower! from afar


Behold a Sower! from afar
he goeth forth with might;
the rolling years his furrows are,
his seed the growing light;
for all the just his word is sown,
it springeth up alway;
the tender blade is hope's young dawn,
the harvest, love's new day.

O Lord of life, to thee we lift
our hearts in praise for those,
thy prophets, who have shown thy gift
of grace that ever grows,
of truth that spreads from shore to shore,
of wisdom's widening ray,
of light that shineth more and more
unto thy perfect day.

Shine forth, O Light, that we may see,
with hearts all unafraid,
the meaning and the mystery
of things that thou hast made:
shine forth, and let the darkling past
beneath thy beam grow bright;
shine forth, and touch the future vast
with thine untroubled light.

Light up thy word; the fettered page
from killing bondage free:
light up our way; lead forth this age
in love's large liberty.
O Light of Light! within us dwell,
through us thy radiance pour,
that word and life thy truth may tell,
and praise thee evermore.


Words: Washington Gladden (1836-1918), 1904

Music: Weymouth

Meter: CMD

Hymnal, Year Number Tunes Other comments
Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861-1874      
The Anglican Hymn Book, 1868       
The Sarum Hymnal, 1869      
The Church Hymnal, 1871 (Hall & Whiteley)      
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Goodrich & Gilbert)      
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Tucker & Rousseau)      
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Hutchins)      
Church Hymns with Tunes, 1874      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1874      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, Standard, 1875-1924      
A Church of England Hymn Book, 1879      
The Universal Hymn Book, 1885      
The Hymnal Companion, 1890      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Darlington)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Parker)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Hutchins)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Tucker & Rousseau)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Helfenstein)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Messiter)      
The Yattendon Hymnal, 1900
     
Church Hymns, New Edition, 1903      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Edition, 1904      
The English Hymnal, 1906      
The Book of Common Praise, 1908      
The Hymnal 1916      
Church Hymnal for the Christian Year, 1917      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1919      
Church Hymnal Revised, 1920
(Hutchins)
     
The Oxford Hymn Book, 1925      
Songs of Praise, 1925      
Songs of Praise, Enlarged Edition, 1931      
The Book of Common Praise, 1938      
The Hymnal 1940 401 Weymouth  
Hymns Ancient & Modern, Revised, 1950      
The Mirfield Mission Hymn Book, 1955      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1960      
Anglican Hymn Book, 1965      
The Hymn Book 1971      
The Australian Hymn Book / With One Voice, 1977      
The Hymnal 1982      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Standard, 1983      
The New English Hymnal, 1985      
Hymns for Today's Church, second edition, 1988      
Church Family Worship, 1988      
Hymns Old & New, New Anglican Edition, 1996      
Common Praise (The Anglican Church of Canada), 1998      
Together in Song: The Australian Hymn Book II, 1999      
Sing Glory, 1999      
Complete Mission Praise, 2000      
Common Praise: Hymns Ancient & Modern, 2000      
Hymns Old & New, Complete Anglican Edition, 2000      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 2000      

Website compiled by Steve Benner, 1999-2004.