Praise the Lord for all pioneers, All who spread Good News! They were blind to the world's frontiers, They were deaf to the world's abuse. They were shipwrecked, imprisoned, betrayed, They were faithful, though afraid: For a work begun, for the souls they won, Praise the Lord for all pioneers! Each church has its pioneers: Proudly speak their names! What divides us disappears In the light of our Christian aims. When we turn back history's page, When we claim our heritage, We rejoice in those who obeyed Christ's call, Praising God for his pioneers. Praise the Lord for such pioneers: Luther, Wesley, Booth: For all those in two thousand years Who recaptured gospel truth; And for Asbury riding West, Sharing hardship with the rest As they opened up, in despair and hope, A New world - and made it ours! Praise the Lord that he leaves us free, Free to think and explore, To press on till we reach the sea, Some far Californian shore. Then, Lord, lest the good be undone, Thrown away what others won, Give us sense to create, not a world of hate, But compassionate, peaceful, free.