The Church — Ministry and Missions

Vain were all our toil and labor

No. 1066
Words Harriet Auber.
Singing key B♭ major
3 stanzas

Sung to WILMOT (hymn 277)

Words

Vain were all our toil and labor,Did not God that labor bless;Vain, without his grace and favor,Every talent we possess.

Vainer still the hope of heaven,That on human strength relies;But to him shall help be givenWho in humble faith applies.

Seek we, then, the Lord's Anointed;He shall grant us peace and rest:Ne'er was suppliant disappointed,Who through Christ his prayer addressed.

About this hymn

As printed Words only. As printed: hymn number «1066» (large) in the right column of p. 365, below hymn 1065 and «Benjamin Francis», with the reference line «277, 162, 534.» in italics beside it (sing to the tune of hymn 277, 162 or 534). The first word «VAIN» is set in capitals and small capitals. «Harriet Auber.» in italics after stanza 3, on the same line as the end of the last verse. The stanza numbers are printed without a full stop («1 Vain»); they are numbered «1.»–«3.» here. Stanza 3, line 4 is too long for the column and is broken inside the word («his prayer ad- / dressed.», the second part on an extra, deeper-indented line); it is one verse line here, «addressed.». The print sets a thin space before «;» and «:» («bless ;», «relies ;», «Anointed ;», «rest :»); it is closed up here. The printer's curly apostrophe is written straight («Lord's», «Ne'er»). Lines 2 and 4 of each stanza are indented in the print. Spelling, punctuation and capitals are the print's. No meter is printed (the text is 8s & 7s., like the three tunes of the reference line).