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ND he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:7-8)
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O ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20)
This beautiful hymn was the first of more than two hundred hymns composed by Samuel Wolcott. This hymn was complete in 1869 when Wolcott was fifty-six years of age. It marked the beginning of his renewed ministry to the forsaken of the big cities of America. He had ministered in Syria, but support failed and he found it necessary to return to America. His spirit was invigorated at a YMCA meeting at which the banner read, Christ for the World, and the World for Christ. He realized that it was not only the distant Syrians who needed to hear the Word of God, but the poor, the widows, the orphans, the elderly, and the down-and-out. The tune, Trinity, or Moscow, (same as ‘Come Thou Almighty King’) was composed by Felice de Giardini in 1769. Though Italian by birth, Giardini was in Moscow at the time of his writing the tune and near the time of his death there.
Christ for the World we Sing
Christ for the world we sing;
the world to Christ we bring
with loving zeal:
the poor and them that mourn,
the faint and overborne,
sin-sick and sorrow-worn,
for Christ doth heal.
Christ for the world we sing;
the world to Christ we bring
with fervent pray'r:
the wayward and the lost,
by restless passions tossed,
redeemed at countless cost
from dark despair.
Christ for the world we sing;
the world to Christ we bring
with one accord:
with us the work to share,
with us reproach to dare,
with us the cross to bear,
for Christ our Lord.
Christ for the world we sing;
the world to Christ we bring
with joyful song:
the newborn souls whose days,
reclaimed from error's ways,
inspired with hope and praise,
to Christ belong.
1 Christ for the world we sing; the world to Christ we bring with loving zeal: the poor and them that mourn, the faint and overborne, sin-sick and sorrow-worn, for Christ doth heal. The power of music is strong for righteousness and when combined with powerful lyrics, it is likely that it could be used to pen the eyes of the lost person to the beauty and truth of the Gospel. Music has even been instrumental in Israel’s military conquests under Deborah: 3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. 4 LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water. 5 The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel. Christ did not come for those who considered themselves spiritually righteous, but for the lame and halt, the deaf and dumb, the sick, the poor, and the disconsolate. The self-righteous (such as the scribes and Pharisees) could not bend their hearts to hear Him.
2 Christ for the world we sing; the world to Christ we bring with fervent pray'r: the wayward and the lost, by restless passions tossed, redeemed at countless cost from dark despair. There are many resources available to the wise to glorify the majesty of God – graphic art, poetry, the fountains of love, and music, too. We sing and the world listens, but to what kind of music do we sing. If we are to elevate souls, our music must be of the quality to accomplish that end. I am not certain, but I believe it was Lord Acton who said, Show me the songs of a nation and I will define that nations character. Much of our music in America today does not elevate souls but, au contraire – it depraves and demeans the goodness of God’s Creation. There are songs, however, that do elevate such as the Battle Hymn of the Republic, Stars & Stripes Forever, Onward Christian Soldiers, Panis Angelicus, etc. This music lifts the unbecoming yoke of the despondent and points to the glorious sunrise.
3 Christ for the world we sing; the world to Christ we bring with one accord: with us the work to share, with us reproach to dare, with us the cross to bear, for Christ our Lord. Our testimony of Christ is not merely with the spoken word, but with the spoken life. How do we testify of Christ by our love, our charity, or honesty, and our integrity of faith? Truth is immutable! Are we of the Church untied in the singular One by whose stripes we are healed? At Morning Prayer we recite the Apostles Creed which unites us as One in faith and Doctrine. Are we united as well in bearing the cross of our Lord’s calling? If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (Luke 9:23) When I was marching on the Plain at West Point in the broiling summer heat, I found my steps much lighter as the band played a rousing march. The same is true of the Christian walk – it is far easier to bear our crosses daily if we have a song in our hearts given by our Lord. He gives the song along with that cross He gives to bear.
4 Christ for the world we sing; the world to Christ we bring with joyful song: the newborn souls whose days, reclaimed from error's ways, inspired with hope and praise, to Christ belong. It is often our songs that arouse interest and appreciation in others for our faith thereby drawing them near to hear the Word preached from His Holy Bible. It is not enough to bring a soul to the Throne of Mercy and Grace. That one must be nurtured in the walk as his burdens have been lifted by Christ. He must not forget the songs that keep him marching in step with other believers. Hope in Christ inspired by the Word, and praise in both song and worship, will keep us all marching to the same drum-beat of Heaven.
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