A HARVEST INGATHERING EXERCISE.
By E. A. Otis
ONE of the means used to awaken in children gratitude to God for His bestowal of the blessings of life, and to develop in them corresponding devotion and faithfulness in the distribution of His gifts to others in need, is the harvest ingathering. It also teaches the great lesson that we will reap what we sow. The following was prepared by a lady of Los Angeles, and we are glad to present it to our readers. It may be used in Sabbath-schools and missionary societies:— Boys—
Here we sow life's precious seed,
Day by day in word and deed,
In the harvest-field of life,
Where temptations oft are rife.
Sleep not while the day is here;
For the enemy is near,
Watching that his hand may cast,—
Sowing thick and sowing fast,—
Tares among the precious wheat
Springing up about his feet. Girls—
Tell us, friends, O tell us who
Is this enemy that you
Fear 'mid your good seed may cast
Seeds of evil, tares that fast
Shall upspring and choke the wheat,
Growing while we wait and sleep? Boys—
'Tis the Evil One, who waits
Ever at Life's harvest-gates;
We may see him not, but he
Ever standeth watchfully,
Never sleeping night or day,
Seeking always if he may
Cast the seed of evil in,
From which spring the tares of sin. Girls—
O the blessed Master's hand
Sowed the field whereon we stand;
Made the world, His harvest-field,
Precious grain, not tares, to yield.
To the golden field of wheat,
Let us haste with willing feet,
Haste to see if there we find
Evil growth of any kind. [They move on to the field, where the householder is standing, and find tares growing among the wheat.] Girls—
Sir, what meaneth this we see
In this field of harvestry?
In thy field thy hand did sow,
Only good seed, this we know;
Whence these tares, then, that we see,
Where but golden grain should be? Householder—
An enemy hath done this. Servants—
Wouldst thou, then, that we should go,
And uproot the tares that grow? Householder—
Nay, leave them there among the wheat
Till the harvest-time; ’tis meet
Thus to leave them, lest ye should
With the tares uproot the good.
Let them grow together there—
Golden wheat and evil tare—
Then when comes the harvest-day,
I will to the reapers say,
“First the tares together bind,
And their bundles burn, then mind
That the precious wheat shall be
Gathered into barns for me.” Servants—
Of this parable would we
All the hidden meaning see. Householder—
List, and I will make it plain:
Good seed is not sowed in vain,
Children of the kingdom, see,
Are the good seed sown by Me;
Children of the Evil One
Are the tares which there have sprung,
And amid the wheat we see
Growing till the end shall be. Servants—
And what the harvest-time when they Shall be gathered, tell us pray?
Who the reapers that shall come
To bear the golden harvest home? Householder—
The reapers are the angels blest,
Who gather saints unto their rest;
The harvest is that wondrous day
When earth and time shall pass away. Boys—
When should the precious seed be sown? Householder—
Ere the morning hours have flown. Sowers sing:—
(Tune, Hymn No. 769.)
Precious seed we hither bring,
Cast it where the harvests spring,
Golden in the light of love,
Ripening for our home above.
Sow it in the morning light,
In the golden sunrise bright,
Then the blessed eve shall see
A rich wealth of harvestry. Reapers sing:—
(Tune, Hymn No. 1053.)
Thrust in the ready sickle,
And gather in the sheaves;
For the harvest now is waiting,
And golden are its leaves.
O, angel forms are bending
With benedictions down,
And for each faithful sower
God hath prepared a crown. All together sing:—
We sing the harvest ended,
We sing of time no more;
For heaven and earth are blended,
Upon that happy shore
Where Jesus reigns forever,
And we may sing His praise,
And sin and sorrow never
Again shall cloud our days.
Tune ye your harps, O angels,
And sing of Jesus’ love,
And of the harvest gathered,
For our bright home above.
(Repeat last lines.)