Send me - 1868
![](/media/4180/55ca3e45988754.05760409.jpg)
Daniel March, author of a famous mission hymn.
Introduction
Daniel March, a Congregational minister, was scheduled to deliver a sermon at the Philadelphia Christian Association on this day, October 18, 1868. He took as his text the prophet Isaiah’s words to God, “Here am I, send me.” March thought that it would be good to have a hymn that echoed the theme of his message, but he could not find one. And so he wrote the words of the song “Hark, the Voice of Jesus Calling.” It was sung directly from his manuscript on that first occasion. Here are two verses:
Quote
“Hark, the voice of Jesus calling,
‘Who will go and work today?
Fields are ripe and harvests waiting,
Who will bear the sheaves away?’
Long and loud the Master calls us,
Rich reward He offers free;
Who will answer, gladly saying,
‘Here am I, send me, send me’?“If you cannot speak like angels,
If you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus,
You can say He died for all.
If you cannot rouse the wicked,
With the judgment’s dread alarms,
You can lead the little children
To the Savior’s waiting arms.”
Cyberhymnal.org