Above:  St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church, Smyrna, Georgia, November 16, 2014

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Words (1862) by Charles Seymour Robinson (1829-1899)

Hymn Source = The Lutheran Hymnal (1941), Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  Savior, I follow on,

Guided by Thee,

Seeing not yet the hand

That leadeth me.

Hushed by my heart and still,

Fear I no further ill,

Only to meet Thy will

My will shall be.

2.  Riven the rock for me

Thirst to relieve,

Manna from heaven falls

Fresh ev’ry eve.

Never a want severe

Causeth my eye a tear

But Thou dost whisper near,

“Only believe.”

3.  Often to Marah’s brink

Have I been brought;

Shrinking the cup to drink,

Help I have sought;

And with the prayer’s ascent

Jesus the branch hath rent,

Quickly relief hath sent,

Sweet’ning the draught.

4.  Savior, I long to walk

Closer with Thee;

Led by Thy guiding hand,

Ever to be

Constantly near Thy side,

Quickened and purified,

Living for Him who died

Freely for me.

Above:  John Julian

Image Source = The Cyber Hymnal

John Julian (1839-1913) was an Anglican priest, a hymn writer, a hymn translator, and a great hymnologist.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Father of All, to Thee:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/01/18/father-of-all-to-thee/

Hark! the Voice Eternal:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/01/18/hark-the-voice-eternal/

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Above:  St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Newnan, Georgia, January 26, 2014

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = The Hymnal (1895), Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Words (1874) by John Julian (1839-1913)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  Father of all, to Thee

With loving hearts we pray,

Through Him, in mercy given,

The Life, the Truth, the Way;

From heaven, Thy throne, in mercy shed

Thy blessings on each bended knee.

2.  Father of all, to Thee

Our contrite hearts we raise,

Unstrung by sin and pain,

Long voiceless in Thy praise;

Breathe Thou the silent chords along,

Until they tremble into song.

3.  Father of all, to Thee

We breathe unuttered fears,

Deep-hidden in our souls,

That have no voice but tears;

Take Thou our hand, and through the wild

Lead gently on each trembling child.

4.  Father of all, may we

In praise our tongues employ,

When gladness fills the soul

With deep and hallowed joy;

In storm and calm give us to see

The path of peace, which leads to Thee.

Above:  Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter, Atlanta, Georgia, December 10, 2014

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1916 (1918), Episcopal Church

Words (1882) by John Julian (1839-1913)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  Hark! the voice eternal,

Robed in majesty,

Calling into beginning

Earth and sea and sky;

Hark! in countless numbers

All the angel throng

Hail creation’s morning

With one burst of song

High regal glory,

‘Mid eternal light,

Reign, O King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

2.  Bright the world and glorious,

Calm both earth and sea,

Noble in its grandeur

Stood man’s purity;

Came the great transgression,

Came the saddening fall,

Death and desolation

Breathing over all.

Still in regal glory,

‘Mid eternal light,

Reigned the King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

3.  Long the nations waited,

Through the troubled night,

Looking, longing, yearning,

For the promised light,

Prophets saw the morning

Breaking far away,

Minstrels sang the splendour

Of that opening day.

Whilst sang the splendour

Of that opening day.

Whilst in regal glory,

‘Mid eternal light,

Reigned the King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

4.  Brightly dawned the Advent

Of the new-born King,

Joyously the watchers

Heard the angels sing.

Sadly closed the evening

Of His hallowed life,

As the noontide darkness

Veiled the last dread strife.

Lo! again in glory,

‘Mid eternal light,

Reigns the King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

5.  Lo! again He cometh,

Robed in clouds of light,

As the Judge eternal,

Armed with power and might

Nations to His footstool

Gathered then shall be;

Earth shall yield her treasures,

And her dead, the sea.

Till the trumpet soundeth,

‘Mid eternal light,

Reign, Thou King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

6.  Jesus! Lord and Master,

Prophet, Priest, and King,

To Thy feet, triumphant,

Hallowed praise we bring.

Thine the pain and weeping,

Thine the victory;

Power, and praise, and honour,

Be, O Lord, to Thee.

High in regal glory,

‘Mid eternal light,

Reign, O King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

Above:  Diocesan Confirmation, the Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, Georgia

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = The Lutheran Hymnal (1941), Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America

Original Words (1689) by Thomas Hansen Kingo (1634-1703)

English Translation (1904) by Kristen Kvamme (1866-1938) and others

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  Praise to Thee and adoration,

Blessed Jesus, Son of God,

Who, to serve Thine own creation,

Didst partake of flesh and blood.

Teach me that I never may

From Thy fold or pastures stray,

But with zeal and joy exceeding

Follow where Thy steps are leading.

2.  Let me never, Lord, forsake Thee,

E’en tho’ bitter pain and strife

On my way shall overtake me;

But may I thro’ all my life

Walk in fervent love to Thee,

In all woes for comfort flee

To Thy birth, Thy death, and Passion

Till I see Thy full salvation.

Above:  A Mosaic at a Former Church, Now a Mosque, Between 1888 and 1910

Image Source = Library of Congress

Reproduction Number = LC-DIG-ppmsca-03684

Hymn Source = W. G. Polack, The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal, Second Edition (1942)

Original German Words (1646) by Christian Keimann (1607-1662)

English Translation (1863) by Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  Oh, rejoice, ye Christians, loudly,

For our joy hath now begun;

Wondrous things our God hath done.

Tell abroad His goodness proudly

Who our race hath honored thus

That He deigns to dwell with us.

Joy, O joy, beyond all gladness,

Christ hath done away with sadness!

Hence, all sorrow and repining,

For the Sun of Grace is shining!

2.  See. my soul, thy Savior chooses

Weakness here and poverty;

In such love He comes to thee

Nor the hardest couch refuses;

All He suffers for thy good,

To redeem thee by His blood.

Joy, O joy, beyond all gladness,

Christ hath done away with sadness!

Hence, all sorrow and repining,

For the Sun of Grace is shining!

3.  Lord, how shall I thank Thee rightly?

I acknowledge that by Thee

Every blessing flows for me.

Let me not forget it lightly,

But to Thee through all things cleave;

So shall heart and mind receive.

Joy, O joy, beyond all gladness,

Christ hath done away with sadness!

Hence, all sorrow and repining,

For the Sun of Grace is shining!

4.  Jesus, guard and guide Thy members,

Fill Thy brethren with Thy grace,

Hear their prayers in every place.

Quicken now life’s faintest embers;

Grant all Christians, far and near,

Holy peace, a glad New Year!

Joy, O joy, beyond all gladness,

Christ hath done away with sadness!

Hence, all sorrow and repining,

For the Sun of Grace is shining!

Above:  Flag of England

Image in the Public Domain

Richard Massie (1800-1887) translated German hymns.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Evening and Morning:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/01/15/evening-and-morning/

Come, Thou Bright and Morning Star:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/come-thou-bright-and-morning-star/

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Above:  Episcopal Church of the Holy Family, Jasper, Georgia, January 8, 2015

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Original German Words (1666) by Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676)

English Translation (1857) by Richard Massie (1800-1887)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal (1941), Evangelical and Reformed Church

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  Evening and morning,

Sunset and dawning,

Wealth, peace, and gladness,

Comfort in sadness,

These are Thy works; all the glory be Thine!

Times without number,

Awake or in slumber,

Thou dost observe us,

From danger preserve us,

Causing Thy mercy upon us to shine.

2.  Father, O hear me;

Pardon and spare me;

Calm all my terrors,

Blot out my errors,

That by Thine eyes they may no more be scanned.

Order my goings;

Direct all my doings;

As it may please Thee,

Retain or release me;

All I commit to Thy Fatherly hand.

3.  Griefs of God’s sending

Soon have an ending;

Clouds may be pouring,

Wind and wave roaring,

Sunshine will come when the tempest has past.

Joys still increasing,

And peace never ceasing,

Fountains that dry not,

And roses that die not,

Blooming in Eden, await me at last.

Image in the Public Domain

Words (1841) by Henry Downton (1818-1885)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal (1895), Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  For Thy mercy and Thy grace,

Constant through another year,

Hear our song of thankfulness,

Jesus, our Redeemer, hear.

2.  Lo! our sins on Thee we cast,

Thee, our perfect Sacrifice;

And, forgetting all the past,

Press towards our glorious prize.

3.  Dark the future; let Thy light

Guide us, bright and morning Star:

Fierce our foes, and hard the fight;

Arm us, Saviour, for the war.

4.  In our weakness and distress,

Rock of strength, be Thou our Stay;

In the pathless wilderness

Be our true and living Way.

5.  Who of us death’s awful road

In the coming year shall tread?

With Thy rod and staff, O God,

Comfort Thou his dying bed.

6.  Keep us faithful, keep us pure,

Keep us evermore Thine own;

Help, O help us to endure;

Fit us for the promised crown.

7.  So within Thy palace gate

We shall praise, on golden strings,

Thee our only Potentate,

Lord of lords, and King of Kings.

Above:  St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Newnan, Georgia, January 26, 2014

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = The Lutheran Hymnal (1941), Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America

Words (1802) by Joseph Dacre Carlyle (1758-1804)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  Lord, when we bend before Thy throne

And our confessions pour,

Teach us to feel the sins we own

And hate what we deplore.

2.  Our broken spirit pitying see,

True penitence impart;

Then let a kindling glance from Thee

Beam hope upon the heart.

3.  When our responsive tongues essay

Their grateful hymns to raise,

Grant that our souls may join the lay,

And mount to Thee in praise.

4.  When we disclose our wants in prayer,

May we our wills resign

And not a thought our bosom share

That is not wholly Thine.

5.  May faith each meek petition fill

And waft it to the skies;

and teach our hearts ’tis goodness still

That grants it or denies.