1. Christ for the world we sing; The world to Christ we bring With loving zeal The poor, and them that mourn, The faint and overborne, Sinsick and sorrow-worn, For Christ to heal. 2. Christ for the world we sing; The world to Christ we bring With fervent prayer The wayward and the lost, By restless passions tossed, Redeemed at countless cost From dark despair. 3. Christ for the world we sing; The world to Christ we bring With one accord With us the work to share, With us reproach to dare, With us the cross to bear, For Christ our Lord. 4. Christ for the world we sing; The world to Christ we bring With joyful song The newborn souls whose days, Reclaimed from error's ways, Inspired with hope and praise, To Christ belong.
Lyrics: Samuel Wolcott
Music:
Felice de Giardini
Tune: ITALIAN HYMN
Meter: 6.6.4.6.6.6.4.
Samuel Wolcott, 1813–1886
Samuel Wolcott, author of this missionary text, had a burning zeal for the spread of the gospel and the spiritual needs of the world. In his earlier years he had been a missionary to Syria before poor health forced his return to America. Later he served as pastor in numerous Congregational churches, as well as acting as secretary of the Ohio Home Missionary Society. It was while pastoring the Plymouth Congregational Church in Cleveland, Ohio, that he wrote this text. He stated:
The Young Men’s Christian Association of Ohio met in one of our churches with their motto in evergreen letters over the pulpit, “Christ for the World, and the World for Christ.”
Pastor Wolcott was so moved by this motto that he promptly wrote these words, which have since been widely used to challenge Christians to have a vision for the needs of our entire world.