# "Pray Ye Therefore." >"Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;" Matthew 9:37 (RSV) ### Verse 1 Send forth Thy labourers, Lord! Into the world's wide field; Cause waiting souls to hear Thy voice Cause wavering hearts to yield. ### Verse 2 Send forth Thy labourers, Lord! The people of Thy choice; Let only those go forth to serve Who know and love Thy voice. ### Verse 3 Send forth Thy labourers, Lord! Thou, only Thou, canst see The misery, unrest, and pain Of souls which pant for Thee. ### Verse 4 Send forth Thy labourers, Lord! Their numbers still are few, The time is short, the work is great Which Thou wouldst have us do. ### Verse 5 Send forth Thy labourers, Lord! Choose Thou each servant's place, Let each one be to sin-bound souls A channel of Thy grace. ### Verse 6 Send forth Thy labourers, Lord! Tho' great the barriers be Which keep Thy willing servants back, They are as nought to Thee. ### Verse 7 Send forth Thy labourers, Lord! We plead afresh to-day; This prayer, which Thou Thyself hast given, Before Thy throne we lay. --- Meter: 6.6.8.6. Published: Earliest Known Publication: _CMS Awake!_, Volume 7, Issue 74. February 1897. London: Church Missionary Society. In *CMS Awake!* this poem was published with the following note from the editors: >(This missionary hymn has been sent home by Miss M. E. Barber, of Fuh-kien. Let us all join in her prayer, and be willing, as she was, to be "sent forth" ourselves if God so wills.—Ed.) One wonders if Miss Barber intended Matthew 9:*38* to head this poem ("pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."), but it was published as is above.