Facing a task unfinished

Facing a task unfinished. Frank Houghton* (1894-1972). According to Idle (2006, p. 419) this was written in 1929, as part of an appeal for 200 more missionaries to go to China. It was printed in the China Inland Missions magazine, China’s Millions. It had eight stanzas. It has been described by Idle as an ‘obvious successor’ to ‘From Greenland's icy mountains’*, written in the same metre. Stanza 2 is particularly clear: Where other lords beside Thee   Hold their unhindered sway, Where forces that defied Thee   Defy Thee still today, With none to heed their crying   For life and love and light,   Unnumbered souls are dying,   And pass into the night. A modernised version, using the ‘you’...