O Stop and Tell Me, Red Man

Lyrics

• Copyright: Public Domain

Lyrics from A Collection of Sacred Hymns, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1841

Hymn 268
7 6 7 6
1. O stop and tell me, Red Man,
Who are ye? why you roam?
And how you get your living?
Have you no God;—no home?

2. With stature straight and portly,
And decked in native pride,
With feathers, paints and broaches,
He willingly replied:—

3. "I once was pleasant Ephraim,
"When Jacob for me prayed,
"But oh! how blessings vanish,
"When man from God has strayed!

4. "Before you nation knew us,
"Some thousand moons ago,
"Our fathers fell in darkness,
"And wandered to and fro.

5. "And long they've lived by hunting,
"Instead of work and arts,
"And so our race has dwindled
"To idle Indian hearts.

6. "Yet hope within us lingers,
"As if the Spirit spoke:—
'He'll come for your redemption,
'And break your Gentile yoke:

7. 'And all your captive brothers,
'From every clime shall come,
'And quit their savage customs,
'To live with God at home.

8. "Then joy will fill our bosoms,
"And blessings crown our days,
"To live in pure religion,
"And sing our Maker's praise."