General Garfield's Favorite Hymn.
[The Late President Garfield's Favorite Hymn.]
"Ho! Reapers of Life's Harvest" (25 Oct 1881)
Sacred Solo and Quartette,
[Music] by John Rogers Thomas, 1840-1896.
And respectfully dedicated to
Mrs. Eliza Ballou Garfield,
Mother of our late President.

Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co., 451 Washington St.
New York: C. H. Ditson & Co.
Chicago: Lyon & Healy
Philadelphia: J. E. Ditson & Co.
St. Louis: J. L. Peters
San Francisco: Sherman, Clay & Co.
Savannah: Ludden & Bates
Plate No. 48570 
[Source: 1881-16191@LoC]

1. Ho! reapers of life’s harvest! 
Why stand with rusted blade, 
Until the night draws round thee 
And day begins to fade? 
Why stand ye idle waiting 
For reapers more to come 
The golden morn is passing 
Why sit ye idle, dumb? 
Thrust in your shapened sickles 
And gather in the grain; 
The night is fast approaching, 
And soon will come again.

CHORUS 1
Ho! reapers of life’s harvest 
Why stand with rusted blade 
Until the night draws round thee 
And day begins to fade.

2. The Master calls for reapers, 
And shall he call in vain 
Shall sheaves lie there ungather’d 
And waste upon the plain? 
Mount up the heights of wisdom 
And crash each error low; 
Keep back no words of knowledge 
That human hearts should know. 
Be faithful to thy mission 
In service of thy Lord 
And then a golden chaplet 
Shall be thy just reward.

CHORUS 2
Be faithful to thy wisdom 
In service of the Lord 
And then a golden chap let 
Shall be thy just reward.