Labourers In the Vineyard

What time life's early morning

Author: Valdimar Briem; Translator: Charles Venn Pilcher
Published in 1 hymnal

Representative Text

What time life's early morning
Is purpling in thy sky,
And on thy brow lies glistening
With glory from on high
The font's fresh dew, Thy Lord doth say,
"Go! In my Vineyard work to-day."

At the third hour, when gorgeous
The sun of youth doth rise,
And life's entrancing glamour
Allures thy wondering eyes,
Remember! Still He calleth thee
To tend His Vineyard faithfully.

At noon when all-reluctant
The hard-pressed toilers work,
Hark! Still that Voice is calling;
One task thou dar'st not shirk—
To make that vine-row wondrous fair,
Which He hath trusted to thy care.

At the last hour He calleth,
When westering sinks life's sun,
And sable twilight falleth
E'er half the task be done:
While the last fading day-beams shine
Toil on! toil on in strength divine.

At night the Lord His workmen
Himself doth homeward lead:
Each wins the self-same wages,
Eternal life the meed.
God! 'Tis Thy gift, not our reward!
All merit flows from Christ the Lord!

Author: Valdimar Briem

Born: Feb­ru­a­ry 1, 1848, Grund, Ice­land. Died: May 3, 1930, Stó­ri-Nú­pur, Ice­land. Briem at­tend­ed the The­o­lo­gic­al Sem­in­ary in Reyk­ja­vik, was or­dained in 1873, and in 1880 be­came pas­tor of the Stó­ri-Nú­pur par­ish, where he served for three de­cades. In 1909, he be­came vice-bi­shop of Skál­holt. The 1886 Ice­lan­dic hym­nal has 102 orig­in­al hymns by Briem, and 39 of his trans­la­tions. Lyrics: Hve dryalegur er Drott­inn (How Mar­vel­ous God’s Great­ness) Lord, Let Thy Spir­it © The Cyber Hymnal™ (www.hymntime.com/tch) Go to person page >

Translator: Charles Venn Pilcher

Pilcher, Charles Venn. (Oxford, June 4, 1879--July 4, 1961, Sydney, Australia). Anglican. Grandnephew of Charlotte Elliott. Hertford College, Oxford, B.A., 1902; M.A., 1905; B.D., 1909; D.D., 1921. Curacies at Birmingham, 1903-1905; St. James, Toronto, 1910-1916; taught theology at Auckland Castle, England, 1905-1906, and at Wycliffe College, Toronto, 1916-1936. Elected coadjutor bishop of Sydney, Australia, at the instance of a former Wycliffe colleague, Archbishop Mowll. He composed hymn tunes and other music, and long played bass clarinet in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Also, he translated and published much devotional material from Iceland, notably Iceland Christian Classics (1950). These side interests, like his hymn writing, merely… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: What time life's early morning
Title: Labourers In the Vineyard
Author: Valdimar Briem
Translator: Charles Venn Pilcher
Meter: 7.6.7.6.8.8
Language: English

Instances

Instances (1 - 1 of 1)
Text

Passion-Hymns of Iceland, The #25

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