The Earth, O Lord, Is One Wide Field

The earth

O Lord

is one wide field

Of all Thy chos­en seed;

The crop pre­pared its fruit to yield;

The la­bor­ers are few in­deed.

We there­fore come be­fore Thee now

With fast­ing

and with pray­er

Beseeching of Thy love that Thou

Wouldst send more la­bor­ers there.

Not for our land alone we pray

Though that ab­ove the rest;

The realms and is­lands far away

O let them all be blest.

Endue the bi­shops of Thy flock

With wis­dom and with grace

Against false doc­trine

like a rock

To set the heart and face.

To all Thy priests Thy truth re­veal

And make Thy judg­ments clear;

Make Thou Thy dea­cons full of zeal

And hum­ble

and sin­cere.

And give their flocks a low­ly mind

To hear and to ob­ey;

That each and all may mer­cy find

At Thine ap­pear­ing day.