Far out upon the prairie

1 Far out upon the prairie,
How many children dwell,
Who never read the Bible,
Or hear the Sabbath bell;
And when the holy morning
Wakes us to sing and pray,
They spend the precious moments
In idleness and play.

Chorus:
Far out upon the prairie
How many children dwell,
Who never read the Bible,
Or hear the Sabbath bell;

2 For they have no kind pastor,
Whose loving words have told,
Of Jesus, the good Shepherd,
And called them to his fold;
No Sabbath school inviting
Its pleasant doors within,
No teacher's voice entreating
To leave the way of sin. [Chorus]

3 I wish that I could tell them
How Jesus came to die,
When he for little children
Left his bright throne on high;
And all the sad, sad story
Of sorrow which he bore,
When for his crown of glory
A crown of thorns he wore. [Chorus]

4 And so each morn and evening,
Whene'er I kneel in prayer,
I'll ask the gracious Saviour
To send his gospel there;
That in the glorious city
In which he dwells above,
We all may sing together
Of his redeeming love. [Chorus]


Source: The Plymouth Sabbath School Collection of Hymns and Tunes #51