Lyrics:

1. Go, ye messengers of glory;
Run, ye legates of the skies.
Go and tell the pleasing story
That a glorious angel flies,
Great and mighty, Great and mighty,
With a message from the skies.

2. Go to ev’ry tribe and nation;
Visit ev’ry land and clime.
Sound to all the proclamation;
Tell to all the truth sublime:
That the gospel, That the gospel
Does in ancient glory shine.

3. Go, to all the gospel carry;
Let the joyful news abound.
Go till ev’ry nation hear you,
Jew and Gentile greet the sound.
Let the gospel, Let the gospel
Echo all the earth around.

4. Bearing seed of heav’nly virtue,
Scatter it o’er all the earth.
Go! Jehovah will support you;
Gather all the sheaves of worth.
Then, with Jesus, Then, with Jesus
Reign in glory on the earth.

Text: John Taylor, 1808-1887
Music: Leroy J. Robertson, 1896-1971. (c) 1948 IRI

-History: (Source: Wikipedia)

Written By: John Taylor

John Taylor (November 1, 1808 – July 25, 1887) was the third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1880 to 1887.

Taylor was born in Milnthorpe, Westmorland (now part of Cumbria), England, the son of James and Agnes Taylor. He had formal schooling up to age fourteen, and then he served an initial apprenticeship to a cooper and later received training as a woodturner and cabinetmaker. He was christened in the Church of England, but joined the Methodist church at sixteen. He was appointed a lay preacher a year later, and felt a calling to preach in America. Taylor’s parents and siblings emigrated to Upper Canada (present-day Ontario) in 1830. John stayed in England to dispose of the family property and joined his family in Toronto in 1832. He met Leonora Cannon from the Isle of Manwhile attending a Toronto Methodist Church and, although she initially rejected his proposal, married her on January 28, 1833.

Between 1834 and 1836, John and Leonora Taylor participated in a religious study group in Toronto. The group discussed problems and concerns with their Methodist faith, and quickly became known as the “Dissenters.” Other members included Joseph Fielding and his sisters Mary and Mercy, who later also became prominent in the Latter Day Saint faith.

Taylor is reported to have had a marvelous singing voice. At the request of Hyrum Smith (Joseph Smith’s brother), he twice sang the song “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief” in Carthage Jail just before the Smiths were killed.^[11]

Taylor wrote the lyrics to several hymns, some of which are still used by the LDS Church. Taylor’s hymn Joseph the Seer was sung at the 200th anniversary celebration of Joseph Smith’s birth. The 1985 English-language edition of the LDS Church hymnal includes two hymns written by Taylor, “Go Ye Messengers of Glory” (#262) and “Go, Ye Messengers of Heaven” (#327).

Music By: Leroy J. Robertson

Leroy Robertson (December 21, 1896 – July 25, 1971) was an American composer and music educator.

Robertson was born in Fountain Green, Utah. One of his earliest instructors was Anthony C. Lund.^[1] He studied violin, composition, and public school music at the New England Conservatory and in Europe. He received an MA degree from the University of Utah and a Ph.D from the University of Southern California. He was chairman of the music department atBrigham Young University from 1925 to 1948 and at the University of Utah from 1948 to 1962.

Robertson was instrumental in the promotion of the Utah Symphony and of classical music in Salt Lake City.

He is best known for his Oratorio from the Book of Mormon. The setting of the Lord’s Prayer from that oratorio was recorded by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and released as a 45 single on the flip side of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, which hit the top 50 charts.

Amongst Robertson’s works in the 1948 LDS hymnal was the music for “Up! Arose Thee, O Beautiful Zion”, with words by Emily H. Woodmansee.^[2]

In the 1985 edition of the LDS hymnal there is one hymn with words by Robertson and eight hymns for which he wrote the music. “On This Day of Joy and Gladness” (hymn #64) has both words and music by Robertson, while “Let Earth’s Inhabitants Rejoice” (hymn #53), “”Great King of Heaven” (hymn #63), “God of Our Fathers, Know of Old” (hymn #80), “I’m A Pilgrim, I’m A Stranger” (hymn #121), “Upon The Cross Of Calvary” (hymn #184), “We Love Thy House, Oh God” (hymn #247) and “Go Ye Messengers of Glory” (hymn #262) have music by Robertson.