The Hay Ride!                      4/29/25 8:00 A.M.

Come boys! Come girls! let’s go for a ride.
They’re hitching on the horses, they’re piling on the hay,
Soon the wagon will be filled and we’ll be off.
Climb in now, and be careful and be sure you get way up on the top,
Climb in now and select a nice soft spot for yourself.
The fare will be nothing and all can ride who will.
Nestle in now and keep your “eyes front.” We’re off!
Off we go down the highway, isn’t this fun?
There we strike a bump and bounce way up into the air.
There we strike another, but it doesn’t hurt a bit,
For back we fall into the nice soft hay.
We can sing and laugh and play along this hayride,
We can look at the beautiful scenery along the roadside,
We can mock the passing travelers on foot and they can do nought to us,
We can halloo to all the passing traffic and yell and shout as we may
Isn’t this fun? Why the more bumps, the better time we have.

You think because I am sitting along the front seat, I’m the driver;
And though it may be I hold the reins a bit, I’m not the driver.
‘Tis true I helped you on the wagon and hitched the horses,
‘Tis true I helped to pile the hay and may be a teamster.
But the reins I hold not, I tell you, the reins I hold not.
Could you but see the driver? What manner of man is He?
I can’t describe the driver well, but use your imagination.
He has the beard of a prophet and the eyes of a saint,
A smile from Him brings Peace and Joy to your heart,
His one glance bids to your troubles “Flee, begone,”
“We would not have you here, get you hence.”
Yet were it not for the driver, we could not enjoy this ride.

Come and sit with me by the side of the Driver.
Come and listen to His talk, His cheering words,
Come and listen to His message and His advice,
His anecdotes, His pleasant tales of His long past.
What a wonderful time we are having with the Driver!
Our destination is Los Angeles, the city of Angels,
The home of the Saints, the land of Happiness!
Let us our fills of Happiness while we may, boys and girls.
Listen to the words of the Driver and look ahead,
The bumps will hurt you not and you may ride through life,
Laughing and chattering on the road to Happiness!