Do We Well?

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To the Syrian camp at twilight

Author: Clara McAlister Brooks (1911)
Tune: [To the Syrian camp at twilight]
Published in 4 hymnals

Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 To the Syrian camp at twilight,
Hungry, thirsty, bleeding, sore,
Came four leprous men of Israel;
Found they there abundant store—
Gold and silver, food and raiment,
“We must go the message tell,
’Tis a day of joyful tidings,
Waiting here, we do not well.”

Refrain:
’Tis the day of full salvation,
Go, the joyful message tell;
While we wait the millions perish,
And we do not well.

2 Do we well, my precious brethren?
While they starve and die for bread,
We, with heaven’s richest blessings,
Are so bountifully fed;
If we tarry till the morning,
Mischief shall our souls befall—
Go and tell earth’s dying millions,
There is bread enough for all. [Refrain]

3 India’s lost ones still are crying,
From that sin-benighted land;
Hear those wails from darkest China,
And from Egypt’s sunlit strand;
While a soul remains in darkness,
And in idleness we dwell,
Selfishly the truth enjoying,
Brethren, dear, we do not well. [Refrain]

4 While a few have crossed the ocean,
Leaving all for Jesus’ name,
There is room for many others—
Go, the gospel news proclaim!
Those who roam in sin’s dominion
Can be rescued yet from hell,
While a moment’s left to save them;
If we wait, we do not well. [Refrain]

5 If we labor on for Jesus,
And to every dying one
Tell the glad and joyful tidings,
Till life’s fleeting day is done,
When we stand before the judgment,
While our hearts with rapture swell,
We shall hear the Savior saying,
“Ye have done exceeding well.” [Refrain]

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Author: Clara McAlister Brooks

Birth: Oct. 9, 1882, Parke County, Indiana, USA Death: Mar. 20, 1980, Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA Clara McAlister Brooks was one of our early songwriters and four of her pieces are in the current hymnal. From the earliest days of the movement we have had women prominent in all forms of our ministry—missionaries, evangelists, teachers, pastors, and God has honored their sacrificial labors. For that reason we can stand in amazement when here, in the 1970s, such old-line denominations as the Episcopal church are being racked with controversy over whether the ordination of women is permissible. But before we gather Pharisaic robes about ourselves, perhaps we need to look candidly at the way in which we, too, succumbed to so… Go to person page >

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First Line:	To the Syrian camp at twilight
Title:	Do We Well?
Author:	Clara McAlister Brooks (1911)
Meter:	8.7.8.7 D with refrain
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	'Tis the day of full salvation
Copyright:	Public Domain