Be strong! We are not here to play, to dream, to drift

Be strong! We are not here to play, to dream, to drift. Maltbie Davenport Babcock* (1858-1901). This hymn is from Thoughts for every-day living: from the spoken and written words of Maltbie Davenport Babcock (New York, 1901), published as a memorial volume following his untimely death in May of that year. The date of composition is not known. It was published in The Methodist Hymnal (New York and Cincinnati, 1905), the hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. It remained in MH35, and it was popular in the first half of the 20th century, particularly with compilers of hymnals for young people, such as The Abingdon Hymnal: a Book of Worship for...