Above: The Union Jack
Image in the Public Domain
Text (1893) by George Thomas Coster (1835-1912), an Englishman
Hymn Source = The Pilgrim Hymnal (1904), which lists it under the category “Our Country”
A Temperance Hymn
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Lord of the gracious sunshine,
Lord of the angry flame,
Thou in the book of nations
Hast writ our country’s name:
Blot it not thence, we pray thee,
To our eternal shame!
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There is a foe among us,
That’s stronger than the strong,
In men the manhood slaying,
To children doing wrong:
And shall it rage forever?
How long, O Lord, how long?
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Eyes charmed to blindness, open,
This subtle foe to shun;
Breathe in each patriot bosom
The spirit of thy Son;
From all self-pleasing save us,
And let thy will be done!
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O God, for this, our home-land,
We lift our prayer to thee:
Pardon us, Lord, and may we
Be pure, and strong, and free,
And while the earth remaineth,
Thy people ever be!
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Above: World Map, 1570
Image in the Public Domain
Text (1864) by George Thomas Coster (1835-1912)
Hymn Source = The Pilgrim Hymnal (1904)
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From north and south and east and west,
When shall the peoples, long unblest,
All find their everlasting rest,
O Christ, in thee?
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When shall the climes of ageless snow
Be with the gospel light aglow,
And all men their Redeemer know,
O Christ, in thee?
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When on each southern balmy coast,
Shall ransomed men, in countless host,
Rise, heart and voice, to make sweet boast,
O Christ, in thee?
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O when in all the Orient lands,
From cities white and flaming sands,
Shall men lift dedicated hands,
O Christ, to thee?
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O when shall heathen darkness roll
Away in light, from pole to pole,
And endless day by every soul
Be found in thee?
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Bring, Lord, the long-predicted hour,
The ages’ diadem and flower,
When all shall find their refuge, tower,
And home in thee!
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Above: The Communion of the Apostles
Image in the Public Domain
Text (Published in 1900) by George Thomas Coster (1835-1912)
Hymn Source = The Pilgrim Hymnal (1904)
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O Friend divine, with thee apart
Communing we have rest;
A blissful stillness rules the heart
That thus is blest.
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Thou call’st us from the strain of care
And from the battle strife,
To win in quietude of prayer
Abundant life.
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Thy call to fellowship how sweet!
With thee the silent mind
In thy great light itself can greet,
Its fulness find.
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Wise patience is thy gift,–and strength
For thee to toil, then wait
For harvest days that come at length,
And ne’er too late.
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With thee the boundlessness we learn
Of good for us in store,
That, much received, we yet may turn
To thee for more.
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With thee communing grow we brave
Our heart with joy is rife:
No fear! and see we e’en the grave
As Gate of Life.
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Above: The Communion, by Lucas Velàzquez
Image in the Public Domain
Text (1891) by George Thomas Coster (1835-1912)
Hymn Source = The Pilgrim Hymnal (1904)
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We join with all, in every place,
Who celebrate the undying grace
That bowed in death to save our race,–
With all, upon the land and sea,
That lowly bend adoring knee,
And, Saviour, now remember thee,–
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With all in chamber lone that make
Their prayer, in pause of pain, and break
The bread, and of the cup partake,–
With all in reverent throngs that now
Within thy temple loving bow,
And breathe the sacramental vow,–
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With all our kin beyond the foam,
Who find, though in far lands they roam,
Still in thy love their life, their home,–
We join with all, where’er they be,
Who bend commemorative knee,
And now in love remember thee.
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Above: Icon of PIetà
Image in the Public Domain
Text by George Thomas Coster (1835-1912); written for The Fellowship Hymnbook, National Council of Adult School Unions (founded in 1899)
Hymn Source = The Church Hymnary–Revised Edition (1927)
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O God our Father, throned on high,
Enrobed in ageless splenour,
To Thee, in awe and love and joy,
Ourselves we would surrender–
To live obedient to Thy will
As servants to each other,
And show our faithfulness to Thee
By love to one another.
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To serve by love! O teach us how;
Be this our great vocation–
To comfort grief, to seek the lost
With message of salvation;
In loving may our full hearts beat,
Our words be wise and winning;
In helping others may our joy
Have ever new beginning.
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Thee, Lord, for Thy dear Son we bless;
His heart for us was broken;
O love! upon the bitter Cross
Thy deepest word was spoken;
The echo of that word is heard
In love for every brother;
So test we, Lord, our love for Thee,
By loving one another.
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Above: The New Jerusalem and the River of Life
Image in the Public Domain
Text (1897) by George Thomas Coster (1835-1912)
Hymn Source = The Methodist Hymnal (1935)
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King of the City Splendid,
Eternal in the height,
May all our country’s cities
Grow holy in Thy sight;
Cleansed from the deeds of darkness–
Cities of light.
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Teach love to gladden children
That know not childhood’s mirth,
Wronged of their rights–no beauty
In their scant reach of earth;
To hope’s large sunshine give them
A second birth.
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Give joy to all the joyless,
Song’s voice to sorrow’s dumb,
May light invade with blessing
Each dark and deathly slum;
Into earth’s realms of horror
Thy kingdom come!
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Soon may our country’s cities
Thy robe of glory wear;
Each place of toil a temple,
Each house a home of prayer;
Each city’s name of beauty–
The Lord is there!
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Above: Donatus
Image in the Public Domain
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Loving God, for whom to exist is to care,
may we refrain from being judgmental jerks in your name.
May our zeal for the truth, as we understand it,
not transform us into theologically rigid, off-putting people.
May we, without excusing the inexcusable,
not behave, write, speak, and think inexcusably and judgmentally,
thereby creating division and unpleasantness needlessly.
May we not imagine that we know more than we do.
May our imagined wisdom not feed our private forms of Donatism.
If we commit Donatism, please forgive us and help us to repent.
In the Name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JULY 15, 2020 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT BONAVENTURE, SECOND FOUNDER OF THE ORDER OF FRIARS MINOR
THE FEAST OF SAINT ATHANASIUS I OF NAPLES, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
THE FEAST OF DUNCAN MONTGOMERY GRAY, SR.; AND HIS SON, DUNCAN MONTGOMERY GRAY, JR.; EPISCOPAL BISHOPS OF MISSISSIPPI AND ADVOCATES FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
THE FEAST OF GEORGE TYRRELL, IRISH ROMAN CATHOLIC MODERNIST THEOLOGIAN AND ALLEGED HERETIC
THE FEAST OF SAINT SWITHUN, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF WINCHESTER
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2020/07/15/a-prayer-regarding-donatism/
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Above: Midnight Sun
Image in the Public Domain
Text by Albert F. Bayly (1901-1984)
Hymn Source = Common Praise (1998), the Anglican Church of Canada
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When the morning stars together their creator’s glory sang,
and the angel host all shouted till with joy the heavens rang,
then your wisdom and your greatness their exultant music told,
all the beauty and the splendour which your mighty works unfold.
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When in synagogue and temple voices raised their psalmist’ songs,
offering the adoration which alone to you belongs;
when the singers and the cymbals with the trumpet made accord,
glory filled the house of worship, and all knew your presence, Lord.
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Voice and instrument, in union through the ages, spoke your praise,
Plainsong, tuneful tuneful hymns, and anthems told your faithful, gracious ways.
Choir and orchestra and organ each a sacred offering brought,
while inspired by your Spirit, poet and composer wrought.
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Lord, we bring our gift of music; tough our lips and fire our hearts,
teach our minds and train our senses, fit us for this sacred art.
Then with skill and consecration we would serve you, Lord, and give
all our powers to glorify you, and, in serving, fully life.
