You help make Hymnary.org possible. More than 10 million people from 200+ countries found hymns, liturgical resources and encouragement on Hymnary.org in 2025, including you. Every visit affirms the global impact of this ministry.

If Hymnary has been meaningful to you this year, would you take a moment today to help sustain it? A gift of any size—paired with a note of encouragement if you wish—directly supports the server costs, research work and curation that keep this resource freely available to the world.

Give securely online today, or mail a check to:
Hymnary.org
Calvin University
3201 Burton Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Thank you for your partnership, and may the hope of Advent fill your heart.

One Thousand Million Souls

Representative Text

1 One thousand-million souls!
In deep and dark despair,
They lie in speechless woe,
In wan and weary care.
No God, no Christ, no hope
In rayless gloom they grope,
And dying, without hope,
And dying without hope.

2 ’Mid China’s peopled plains,
Or Greenland’s frozen snow,
Where India’s temple fanes
In glittering splendors glow—
On many an ocean isle,
’Mid nature’s sweetest smile,
One night of horror reigns,
One night of horror reigns.

3 One thousand-million souls,
As hopeless wanderers die,
No gleam of light appears
Along their darkened sky.
No Christ to them made known,
No blood which doth atone,
For sins of deepest dye,
For sins of deepest dye.

4 And must they die unsought?
Die in their voiceless grief?
Die, ’mid their woes untaught?
Die like the withered leaf?
And in their hour of need
Shall none give willing heed
Or send the craved relief,
Or send the craved relief?

5 No, no, it must not be—
Rise, sluggish Church of God,
The Savior calls to thee:
"Thro’ all the earth abroad,
Go, ere the years are flown,
And there My love make known,
Wherever man hath trod,
Wherever man hath trod."

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #19381

Author: L. H. Wilson

(no biographical information available about L. H. Wilson.) Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: One thousand million souls
Title: One Thousand Million Souls
Author: L. H. Wilson
Meter: 6.6.6.6 D
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #19381
  • PDF (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer Score (NWC)

Instances in all hymnals

Instances (1 - 1 of 1)
TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #19381

Include 1 pre-1979 instance
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.