
Here is the original poem "Song of the Sisters of the Female Relief Society," by Emily Woodmansee. Three of these verses were later selected and slightly adapted by the Church Music Committee, then set to music by Janice Kapp Perry, to become the hymn titled "As Sisters in Zion."
Song of the Sisters of the Female Relief Society
Words by Emily H. Woodmansee
As sisters in Zion, well all pull together,
The blessing of God on our labors well seek;
Well build up his Kingdom with earnest endeavor;
Well comfort the weary, and strengthen the weak.
Well turn from our follies, our pride and our weakness,
The vain, foolish fashions, of Babel despise;
Well seek for the garments of truth and of meekness,
And learn to be useful and happy and wise.
Well wear what is sensible, neat and becoming
The daughters of Zionthe children of light;
Well work with a will, while the angels are scanning
Our aims and our actions from morning till night.
Well bring up our children to be self sustaining;
To love and to do what is noble and right;
When we rest from our labors, these dear ones remaining,
Will bear off the Kingdom and fight the good fight.
Nor shall our attention be wholly restricted
To training our children or shaping our dress;
The aged, the feeble, the poor and afflicted,
Our labors shall comfort, our efforts shall bless.
The Lord hath established the cities of Zion,
The poor of his people are trusting in Him,
He makes us a source for His poor to rely on;
Oh! shall we not brighten the eyes that are dim.
Oh! shall we not hasten to soothe the condition
Of the humble, the needy, the honest and pure?
Oh! let us remember, whateer our ambition
Tis our duty, our mission, to comfort the poor.
Tis the office of Angels, conferred upon woman;
And this is a Right that, as woman, we claim;
To do whatsoever is gentle and human;
To cheer and to bless in humanitys name.
How vast are our labors; how broad is our mission,
If we only fulfill it in spirit and deed;
Oh! naught but the Spirits divinest tuition
Can give us the wisdom to truly succeed.
Then, as sisters in Zion, well all pull together;
The blessing of God on our labors well seek;
Well build up the kingdom with earnest endeavor;
Well comfort the weary and strengthen the weak
Salt Lake City, May 25th, 1869