BRINGING IN THE SHEAVES

          If you've ever watched a movie about frontier life and there was a scene involving a church service, you probably heard the congregation singing "Bringing in the Sheaves".  For some reason this old hymn has taken hold of the popular imagination as the go-to cultural reference for American "old-time religion."  It also seems they were singing this hymn every time the Ingalls family went to church on Little House on the Prairie.  The hymn probably was very popular when a large portion of the population knew about farm life.  They knew that during the time of harvest farmers would bring in the sheaves, the stalks of cut or harvested grain which had been bound together after reaping.  The hymn was  based on Psalm 126:5-6 which says: "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."  The lyrics were written in 1874 by Knowles Shaw (1834-1878).   His early life was spent in Indiana where he first began to play the violin, furnishing the music for many a dance. While a rowdy dance party was going on he was converted, ceasing to play in the middle of the piece he was performing. Very soon thereafter he entered the ministry. Most of his time after that was spent in the West and South and, on account of his wonderful vocal powers, he was called the "singing evangelist." As a singer he was considered by some as being equal to Sankey and Bliss. The press often spoke of his singing as something wonderful. Soon after beginning to preach, he also began to compose and to write music.  Records kept at the time suggest that the Lord used him to bring nearly 20,000 people to Christ.  There is often hard work involved in our service for the Lord, with heavy burdens and sometimes even tears. But the end result is well worth it. This harvest of bringing in the sheaves can be souls saved through the planting seeds of the Gospel. But in a broader sense it is the result of all Christian endeavor.  As Paul states, "Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."  Bringing in the sheaves is the result of a life lived fully for the Lord.  Are we being obedient so that the Lord may give us an abundant harvest? Today this famous hymn has been dropped from most hymnbooks The argument is that it's a throwback to our rural, agrarian past and just is not meaningful to very many in our more urban, technological society. Maybe, maybe not. But the acid test is not whether it is old or new but whether it is scriptural. And the thought of this song is taken directly from the Bible,. If we can appreciate what God's word says about sowing the seed and reaping the harvest in Psalm 126, then we should be able to understand the picture of this song and the importance of bringing In the sheaves."  May each of us be about the challenge of spreading the seed in all that we do and say. Remember Galatians 6:7-9: "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up".

1.     Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,

Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;

Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,

Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves

2.     Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,

Fearing neither clouds nor winter's chilling breeze;

By and by the harvest, and the labor ended,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,

Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves

3.     Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,

Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;

When our weepings over, He will bid us welcome,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,

Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves

You can listen to it here.   LISTEN