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UT if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? (Ezekiel 18:21-23)
This missionary hymn is the composition of Mrs. Mary Ann Thomson (1834-1923). In her own words, I wrote the greater part of the hymn, O Zion, haste in the year 1868. I had written many hymns before, and one night, while I was sitting up with one of my children who was ill of typhoid fever, I thought I should like to write a missionary hymn. The tune is an old Welsh piece entitled, ‘Tidings.’
O Zion, haste, Thy mission high fulfilling
O Christians, haste, your mission high fulfilling,
to tell to all the world that God is light,
that he who made all nations is not willing
one soul should perish, lost in shades of night.
Refrain:
Publish glad tidings, tidings of peace,
tidings of Jesus, redemption and release.
Behold how many thousands still are lying
bound in the dreary prison-house of sin
with none to tell them of the Savior's dying
or of the life he died for them to win.
Refrain
Proclaim to ev'ry people, tongue, and nation
that God, in whom they live and move, is love;
tell how he stooped to save his lost creation
and died on earth that they might live above.
Refrain
Send heralds forth to bear the message glorious,
give of your wealth to speed them on their way;
pour out your soul for them in prayer victorious;
O Christians, haste to bring the brighter day!
Refrain
1 O Christians, haste, your mission high fulfilling, to tell to all the world that God is light, that he who made all nations is not willing one soul should perish, lost in shades of night. 4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:4-5) While it is opportune to work – that is while we yet live – we must do the work of Him who commissioned us. The darkness of the world and death shall someday cease our labors. We are the children of the day and not of the night. We have our marching orders in the Great Commission. It is our responsibility to sow the seeds of the Gospel, but the work of the Holy Spirit to germinate those seeds in the hearts of men and women.
2 Behold how many thousands still are lying bound in the dreary prison-house of sin with none to tell them of the Savior's dying or of the life he died for them to win. You and I are much like Barabbas before we came to know Christ in intimate love. Barabbas was a murderer caught red-handed in his crimes; yet, Jesus took his place on the cross saving him from that terrible death. Christ has also taken the place of you and me on the cross which made the eternal life in Christ possible. We, too, had been caught red-handed in our sins when the Holy spirit quickened us and made us alive in Him. (see Ephesians 2:1-10)
3 Proclaim to ev'ry people, tongue, and nation that God, in whom they live and move, is love; tell how he stooped to save his lost creation and died on earth that they might live above. We are no discriminators of souls, but God is indeed. We preach the word, live the word, love the word, but God is the discerner of spirits. Some will reject His Word to their own ruin, but others whose metal are akin to that of their Maker will respond as iron to the Magnet of God – the Holy Ghost. He not only became lowly man, but subjected Himself to the humiliation of being stripped naked, publicly beaten, and nailed to the cross for all to see – all for those who could hear the still, small Voice calling them from the tomb of death.
4 Send heralds forth to bear the message glorious, give of your wealth to speed them on their way; pour out your soul for them in prayer victorious; O Christians, haste to bring the brighter day! To whom much is given, much shall be required: . . . For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:48) We must make the Bread of Heaven available to all and allow the Holy Spirit to move upon His chosen to partake. But we also have a responsibility to get out of our comfort zones and move to where the soil is ready for planting – even unto all the world: 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:14)
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