This hymn was written by Eben Eugene Rexford (1848-1916), whose original first words were “O we are the reapers.”   These words were acceptable to G.F. root and Ira D. L. Moody asked for them to be revised to the present “O where are.”  He wished to avoid the implication that there were no other soul winners than those in the Moody-Sankey evangelistic team.  The omitted stanza is:

2.  Go out in the by ways and search them all,

       The wheat may be there, though the weeds are tall;

      Then search in the highway, and pass none by;

      But gather from all for the home on high.

       Born July 16, 1848, at Johnsburgh, New York, Eben moved with his parents to Wisconsin, where he spent the rest of his life. At the age of 16, his literary talent became evident when a magazine sent him a check for a piece he submitted. Entering Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin, he paid his way by writing poems and stories for several Eastern magazines. Composer H. P. Danks saw and liked his “knack” for writing song lyrics, and wrote him, offering three dollars for each song that was good enough to be accepted. Rexford sent him nine, and soon received a check for $18 in payment of six. One of this lyrics was “Silver Threads Among the Gold,” which Danks set to music; it became a worldwide favorite. A number of Rexford poems were also set to music by well-known gospel song composers Root, Excell, and Gabriel; and this one by Ira d. Sankey.

       Writing song lyrics was secondary; floriculture articles were Rexford’s first love. For 14 years he was editor of the Gardening Department of Ladies’ Home Journal, and served in a similar capacity for several other magazines. His five books about growing beautiful flowers were best-sellers.

        He was organist at the Congregational church of Shiocton, Wisconsin, for more than 20 years; in 1912, in recognition of his literary work, his alma mater conferred upon the degree of Litt. D. He died in 1916.  He also wrote SDAH 472, “A Song of Heaven and Homeland.”

   The tune, unnamed, was composed by George Frederick Root (1820-1895; see Biographies). He also composed SDAH 88, VARINA; SDAH 218, JEWELS; and SDAH 692, QUAM DILECTA.