Above:  Augustus Nelson

Image Source = The Escanaba Daily Press, Escanaba, Michigan, June 27, 1924, Page 4

Accessed via newspapers.com

Hymn Source = The Hymnal and Order of Service (1925), The Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod

Original Text (1571) by Martin Mikael Schalling (1532-1608)

Swedish Text (1818) by Johann Olaf Wallin (1779-1839)

English Translation by Augustus Nelson (1863-1949)

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O Lord, devoutly love I Thee;

Come, Jesus, and abide with me,

And grant me e’er Thy favor.

In this wide world of anxious care

Vain glory find I everywhere,

But peace with Thee, my Saviour.

E’en though, in woeful agony,

My soul and body pine away,

Thou art my Comfort, ever blest,

I safely on Thy bosom rest.

Lord Jesus Christ, my Saviour dear,

Thy saving hand is ever near.

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Almighty God, for what I own,

Receive, and am, to Thee alone

I ought my thanks to render.

Teach me to use Thy gifts, I pray,

To aid the poor, and never stay,

O Lord, Thy mercies tender.

Make known to me, O God, Thy will,

And purge my soul of every ill;

Yea, make my patient and content,

Nor let my soul to earth be bent.

Lord Jesus Christ, for Thy death’s sake

The bonds of my affliction break.

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Send, Lord, Thine angels forth at last

To bear my soul, when life is past,

Where heavenly joy aboundeth;

And let my weary body rest

In peace, where’er Thou seest best,

Until Thy voice resoundeth.

Then lo! in holy raiment clad,

I shall behold my Lord and God;

His grace and glory then shall be

My joy in all eternity,

Lord Jesus Christ, my prayer fulfill;

In life, in death, Thine am I still.

©Photo. R.M.N. / R.-G. OjŽda

Above:  Saint John on Patmos

Image in the Public Domain

Text (1918) by Allen Eastman Cross (1864-1942)

Hymn Source = American Hymns Old and New (1980)

The tune is that of “America the Beautiful.”

The context of the writing of the hymn was World War I (1914-1918), of course.

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1.  Though Fatherland be vast and fair,

Though heaven be e’er so near,

Yet there’s a land, a land, a land,

That is to God more dear.

There is no gulf, there is no sea,

And shore is touching shore,

And mountains bow and borders blend,

And hatreds are no more.

2.  So, while we face the common sun

Upon this ancient star,

And dawn and dusk swing over us,

We’ll hail our dreams afar;

We’ll greet the glory of a land

Where love shall never tire,

We’ll light a flame, a flame, a flame,

To set the world on fire.

3.  O land of lands, dear brotherland,

The country of our dream,

The home of fealty and faith,

How marvelous you seem!

Your rivers flow in shining peace,

Your trees have healing worth,

Your stones are gentleness and grace,

Your mercy fills the earth.

4.  O Christ of freedom and of faith,

O Flame of Pentecost,

Thou hast a name o’er every name

To lead the marching host,

Till wrong be bound, and peace be crowned,

And love be on a throne,

Thou hast a name, a name, a name,

To make the stars thine own.

Above:  Sunset Rays on Sky

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = Hymns of the Spirit (1937), American Unitarian Association and Universalist Church in America

Text (1907) by John Haynes Holmes (1879-1964)

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1.  O God, whose smile is in the sky,

Whose path is in the sea,

Once more from earth’s tumultuous strife,

We gladly turn to thee.

2.  Now all the myriad sounds of earth

In solemn stillness die;

While wind and wave unite to chant

Their anthems to the sky.

3.  We come as those with toil far spent

Who crave thy rest and peace,

And from the care and fret of life

Would find in thee release.

4.  O Father, soothe all troubled thought,

Dispel all idle fear,

Purge thou each heart of secret sin,

And banish every care;

5.  Until, as shine upon the sea

The silent stars above,

There shines upon our trusting souls

The light of thine own love.

Above:  Mountain Morning

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Concordia Hymnal:  A Hymnal for Church, School and Home (1932), Norwegian-American Lutheran

Original Words by Wilhelm Andreas Wexels (1797-1866)

English Translation (1931) by Oscar R. Overby (1892-1964)

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1.  One radiant morn the mists will all surrender,

And life’s uncertain shadows pass away;

When light celestial breaks in dazzling splendor

To lead my step into eternal day.

2.  One radiant morn the mysteries I ponder,

And leave unsolved on all my quests abroad,

Shall be construed for me in fullness yonder

When I awake to sense the ways of God.

3.  One radiant morn when hearts bowed down in sorrow

Are comforted and reconciled above,

All pain and tears I here in anguish borrow

Shall be dissolved in fountain-rays of love.

4.  One radiant morn with eyes unveiled before Him,

I’ll see the One my faith and hope embrace;

Within the holy realms I’ll praise, adore Him,

And kneel to thank my Savior face to face.

5.  One radiant morn when sinless souls assemble,

Where each desire is born in purity,

No more the thought of wrong shall make me tremble,

But, ransomed, I shall live forever free.

6.  One radiant morn in halls of home supernal,

I’ll meet again the friend I here esteem,

In glory speak with him of life eternal,

And of the life that vanished like a dream.

7.  O Jesus, stir within my heart of sadness

This vision fair whene’er I grieve forlorn,

That it may turn all bitter tears to gladness,

And lead my spirit to that radiant morn.

Above:  Saint John on Patmos

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = Hymnbook for Christian Worship (1970), American Baptist Convention and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Original Text by Wilhelm Andreas Wexels (1797-1866)

English Translation by Richard Birch Hoyle (1875-1939)

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1.  What joy to think of that vast host,

Of every tribe and tongue,

Who come from every clime and coast,

Who raise in heaven their song,

Their glad triumphal song.

2.  Glad thought, that all who served the Lord,

The apostolic band,

The myriads trusting in their word

Shall all together stand,

Redeemed at God’s right hand.

3.  What bliss, their loves and joys to tell!

What wondrous strains they sing!

Exultant anthems rise and swell

Till heaven’s high arches ring

As they adore their King.

4.  Great God, in mercy save us all;

Raise us to dwell with thee.

With the redeemed, then thou shalt call,

Grant that our place may be,

Through all eternity.

Above:  Cathedral Ruins

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = Hymnal for Church and Home (1938), Danish Evangelical Lutheran Synods in America

Original Text by Wilhelm Andreas Wexels (1797-1866)

English Translation by Soren Damsgaard Rodholm (1877-1951)

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1.  Some day, I know, the mist that is veiling

Shall roll away and darkness disappear

Before the day with radiance never failing,

On which my path shall lie before me clear.

2.  Some day, I know, all mysteries perplexing,

Which here I never quite could understand,

With all my problems yet unsolved and vexing,

Shall be revealed, and I shall see God’s hand.

3.  Some day, I know, all sorrow shall have vanished,

All wounds be healed and ev’ry want supplied.

All tears shall cease, all sighs for aye be banished;

In love’s embrace all unrest shall subside.

4.  Some day, I know, I shall appear before Him

Whom here I hold in love’s and faith’s embrace.

Shall humbly kneel and gratefully adore Him,

And with mine eyes behold Him face to face.

5.  Some day, I know, for sin no longer slaving,

Each tho’t and word and deed unstained and pure,

I shall not even fear a sinful craving

My purity and bliss might e’er obscure.

6.  Some day, I know, in yonder realms of glory,

I, with the friend I found while on the way,

Shall speak of that new life and tell the story

Of this old life, dimmed like a dream by day.

7. My Savior, give my heart this sweet conviction

Each time the way seems long and full of pain,

That it may lighten ev’ry deep affliction

And cause a smile to shine through tears again.

Above:  Trinity Church Yard, Stratford-on-Avon, England, Between 1890 and 1900

Image Source = Library of Congress

Reproduction Number = LC-DIG-ppmsc-08870

An anonymous Slovakian hymn, 1674

English translation (1939) by John Bajus (1901-1971)

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

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1.  In the resurrection,

In the resurrection,

We do trust.

From the dust

Shall this body this hope we cherish–

Rise before God clothed in pure perfection.

Jesus, Lord,

Help afford;

Oh, save us lest we perish.

2.  Earth receives the mortal,

Earth receives the mortal.

Do not doubt this,

While is bliss,

Cleansed of sin and crowned with peace eternal,

There serenely rests the soul immortal.

Oh, rejoice,

Praises voice–

‘Tis saved from foes infernal.

3.  Such rest we shall enter,

Such rest we shall enter,

And then rise

To the skies

When the Savior’s call “Come forth” shall waken

Both the blessed dead and bold dissenter.

Lord of Life,

In our strife

Oh, leave us not forsaken!

4.  When we die, dear Savior,

When we die, dear Savior,

Grant, we pray,

On that day

That from sorrow Thou wilt lead in mercy

To the joy before Thy throne forever.

At Thy side,

Glorified,

Oh, may we ever praise Thee!

Above:  A Funeral, 1931

Photographer = Harris & Ewing

Image Source = Library of Congress

Reproduction Number = LC-DIG-hec-36275

Words (1920) by Anna Bernadine Dorothy Hoppe (1889-1941)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal and Order of Service (1925), The Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod

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1.  Thou Lord of life and death,

Blest Son of God the Father,

Jesus, in humble faith

Before Thy throne we gather;

Thy Spirit bids us come

In fervent prayer to Thee,

O bless Thy Christendom

Now and eternally.

2. Thou speakest but a word,

And lo! the dead awaken.

Why should we sorrow, Lord,

When those we love are taken

From this drear vale of tears

To realms of bliss above?

Hush Thou our griefs and fears,

Thou Fount of boundless love.

3.  When judgment trumpets wake

All who in death are sleeping,

To Salem’s mansions take

The saved in Thy love’s keeping.

When at Thy blest “Arise!”

We greet Thee, risen King,

The realms beyond the skies

With endless praise shall ring.

Above:  Saint John on Patmos

Image in the Public Domain

Original German Words (1552) by Johann Walther (1496-1570)

English Translation (1910) by Alfred Ramsey (1860-1926)

Hymn Source = Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church (1917), United Lutheran Church in America and its immediate predecessors

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1.  Thy Word, O God, declareth

No man hath seen or heard

The joys our God prepareth

For them that love their Lord

Their eyes shall see Thy glory,

The face, Thy throne, Thy might;

With shouts shall they adore Thee,

The true, eternal Light.

2.  With Thee, their warfare ended,

Thy saints from earth released,

Shall keep, with glories splendid,

Eternal holy feast.

There shall Thy sons and daughters

The tree of life partake;

Shall drink the living waters;

And bread with Thee shall break.

3.  Thy constant praises sounding

Before Thy great white throne,

They all in joy abounding

Shall sing the song unknown:

Laud, honor, praise, thanksgiving

And glory ever be

To Thee, the Everlasting

And Blessed Trinity.

Above:  Ghent Altarpiece, by Jan van Eyck

Image in the Public Domain

Original Danish Words by Hans Adolf Brorson (1694-1764)

English Translation by Olav Lee (1859-1943), a Norwegian-American Lutheran minister and professor at Augustana and St. Olaf Colleges

Hymn Source = Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary (1996), Evangelical Lutheran Synod

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1.  I see Thee standing, Lamb of God,

Now at Thy Father’s right;

But O how painful was Thy road

That led to Zion’s height!

And what a burden Thou didst bear:

The world’s distress and shame,

That made Thee sink, our woe to share,

To depths that none can name.

2.  O spotless Lamb, it was Thy will

In love thus bound to be

Upon the cross on Calv’ry’s hill

From sin to set us free.

What lion strength Thy nail-pierced hands

Our death the death-blow gave,

And broken were our prison bands

When Thou didst rend Thy grave.

3.  Around Thy throne a throng doth stream

In raiment white as snow,

Their eyes like suns with radiance beam

The Lamb of God to know.

The story, how He chose to be

A Servant for our sake,

The angels will eternally

Their anthems’ burden make.

4.  Twelve times twelve thousand Thee acclaim,

Each with his harp in hand,

Upon their brow Thy Father’s name

Makes known that happy band.

As voice of many waters rise

Their rapt’rous symphony;

To Thee who us Paradise

Eternal praises be.