LET UP AND BE DOING.

LET’S up and be doing, nor wait for the morrow!
Never to-morrow may come to hour hand;
Who waits for its advent may answer in sorrow,
If God shall to-night his lone talent demand.
Be doing! there’s never a lack of employment,
The harvest is white, but the toilers are few!
Life’s sweetest, and purest, and noblest enjoyment,
Is doing what heaven has assigned us to do.

Let’s up and be doing! our duties lie near us,
Though humble the labour, let’s work with a will!
God’s voice in the heart will be music to cheer us,
God’s smile will be sunshine, or bosoms to fill.
No toil is so lowly, if rendered to heaven,
It may not be noted by angels above;
No service so simple, if faithfully given,
That God does not bend to reward it with love.

Though humble the labour, the wild bird, while singing,
Is pleasing his God in the song that he trills;
The violet, when from the green sward up-springing,
In smiles and in perfume its duty fulfils.
So a smile from you lips, for the poor who may need it,
A word of sweet hope for the heart in despair,
A word of wise counsel for him who may heed it,
Are fragrant to heaven as the incense of prayer,

Let’s up and be doing! Nor wait for the morrow!
Not long for great deeds to be given us to do;
An angel to lighten a babe’s little sorrow,
Might spread his bright wings and come down from the blue.
Be doing! For brief is the hour that is given
To mortals to toil on this sin-clouded earth,
And many choice germs have been planted by Heaven,
That wait for the sunlight to bring them to birth.