Above:  Icon of St. Luke

Image in the Public Domain

Text (1905) by Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley (1851-1920)

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

A hymn for the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist (October 18)

I detect a theme of medical missions, one of Rawnsley’s favorite causes.

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Saviour, who didst healing give,

Still in power go before us;

Thou through death didst bid men live,

Unto fuller life restore us;

Strengthen from thee the fainting found,

Deaf men heard, the blind went seeing;

At thy touch was banished sickness,

And the leper felt new being.

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Thou didst work thy deeds of old

Through the loving hands of others;

Still thy mercies manifold

Bless men by thy hands of brothers;

Angels still before thy face

Go, sweet health to brothers bringing;

Still, hearts glow to tell his praises

With whose name the Church is ringing.

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Loved physician! for his word

Lo, the Gospel page burns brighter,

Mission servant of the Lord,

Painter true, and perfect writer;

Saviour, of thy bounty send

Such as Luke of Gospel story,

Friends to all in body’s prison

Till the sufferers see thy glory.

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Above:  Clouds on the Horizon

Photographer = William Henry Jackson (1843-1942)

Image Source = Library of Congress

Reproduction Number = LC-DIG-det-4a16709

Text (1867; subsequently modified) by Walter Chalmers Smith (1824-1908)

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Walter Chalmers Smith altered his text.  As best as I can determine, the original six-stanza version of the hymn was as follows:

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

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Unresting, unhasting, silent as light,

Nor striving, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;

Thy justice like mountains soaring above

Thy clouds which are are fountains of goodness and love.

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All live thou givest–to both great and small;

In all life livest, true life of all;

Thy blossom and flourish only are we,

To wither and perish–but nought changeth thee.

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Today and tomorrow with Thee still are now;

Nor trouble, nor sorrow, nor care, Lord, hast thou;

Nor passion doth fever, nor age can decay,

The same God for ever as on yesterday.

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Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,

Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;

But of all Thy good graces this grace, Lord, impart–

Take the veil from our faces, the veil from our heart.

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All laud we would render; O help us to see,

‘Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee;

And now let Thy glory to our gaze unroll

Through Christ in the story, and Christ in the soul.

Sources:  

The Church Hymnary–Revised Edition (1927), The Church of Scotland, The United Free Church of Scotland, The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, The Presbyterian Church of England, The Presbyterian Church of Wales, The Presbyterian Church of Australia, The Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, and The Presbyterian Church of South Africa

Moffatt, James, ed. Handbook to The Church Hymnary–Revised Edition (1927)

Stulken, Mary Kay, and Catherine Salika.  Hymnal Companion to Worship–Third Edition (1998), Roman Catholic Church

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Since The English Hymnal (1906), however, the standard version has been four stanzas long.  This has resulted from various minor changes, the omission of the original fourth stanza, the omission of the second halves of the original fifth and sixth stanzas, and the creation of a new fourth stanza from the first halves of the original fifth and sixth stanzas.

I have italicized changes from the version above.

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Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

In light accessible hid from our eyes,

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

Almighty, Victorious, Thy great name we praise.

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Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,

Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;

Thy justice like mountains high soaring above

Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

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To all life Thou givest–to both great and small;

In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;

We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,

And wither and perish–but nought changeth Thee.

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Great Father of Glory, pure Father of Light,

Thine Angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;

All laud we would render; O help us to see

‘Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee.

Other Sources:

Moffatt, James, ed. Handbook to The Church Hymnary–Revised Edition (1927)

Young, Carlton R.  Companion to The United Methodist Hymnal (1993)

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Above:  Icon of the Apocalypse of Saint John

Image in the Public Domain

Original German Text by Philipp Nicolai (1556-1608)

English Translation by Francis Crawford Burkitt (1864-1935)

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

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Wake, O wake!  with tidings thrilling

The watchman all the air are filling,

Arise, Jerusalem, arise!

Midnight strikes!  no more delaying,

“The hour has come!” we hear them saying.

Where are ye all, ye virgins wise?

The Bridegroom comes in sight,

Raise high your torches bright!  Alleluya!

The wedding song

Swells loud and strong:

Go forth and join the festal throng.

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Sion hears the watchmen shouting

Her heart leaps up with joy undoubting,

She stands and waits with eager eyes;

see her Friend from heaven descending,

Adorned with truth and grace unending!

Her light burns clear, her star doth rise.

Now come, thou precious Crown,

Lord Jesu, God’s own Son!  Hosanna!

Let us prepare

To follow there,

Where in thy supper we may share.

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Every soul in thee rejoices;

From men and from angelic voices

Be glory given to thee alone!

Now the gates of pearl receive us,

Thy presence never more shall leave us,

We stand with Angels round thy throne.

Earth cannot give below

The bliss thou dost bestow.  Alleluia!

Grant us to raise

To length of days,

The triumph-chorus of thy praise.

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Above:  Episcopal Church of the Ascension, Cartersville, Georgia, November 5, 2017

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Text by William Henry Hammond Jervois (1852-1905)

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

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Wherefore, O Father, we thy humble servants

Here bring before thee Christ thy well-beloved,

All-perfect Offering, Sacrifice immortal, Spotless Oblation.

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See now thy children, making intercession

Through him our Saviour, Son of God incarnate,

For all thy people, living and departed, Pleading before thee.

Above:  Evening Sky

Image in the Public Domain

Original Syraic Text by St. Ephrem of Edessa (306/307-373)

English Translation by Francis Crawford Burkitt (1864-1935)

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

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Receive, O Lord, in heaven above,

Our prayers and supplications pure;

Give us a heart all full of love

And steady courage to endure.

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Thy holy name our mouths confess,

Our tongues are harps to praise thy grace;

Forgive our sins and wickedness,

Who in this vigil seek thy face.

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Let not our song become a sigh,

A wail of anguish and despair;

In loving-kindness, Lord most high,

Receive to-night our evening prayer.

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O raise us in that day, that we

May sing, where all thy Saints adore,

Praise to thy Father, and to thee,

And to thy Spirit, evermore.

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Above:  St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia, May 21, 2017

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

Original Latin Text by Saint Thomas Aquinas (1227-1274)

English Translation by James Russell Woodford (1820-1885), Anglican Bishop of Ely (1873-1885)

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Thee we adore, O hidden Saviour, thee

Who in thy sacrament art pleased to be;

Both flesh and spirit in thy presence fail,

Yet here thy Presence we devoutly hail.

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O blest Memorial of our dying Lord,

Who living bread to men doth here afford!

O may our souls feed for ever on thee,

And thou, O Christ, for ever precious be.

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Fountain of goodness, Jesu, Lord and God,

Cleanse us, unclean, with thy most cleansing Blood!

Increase our faith and love, that we may know

The hope and peace which from thy Presence flow.

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O Christ, whom now beneath a veil we see,

May what we thirst for soon our portion be,

To gaze on thee unveiled, and see thy face,

The vision of thy glory and thy grace.

Above:  The Church Triumphant and the Church Militant, by Andrea di Bonaiuto, at the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy

Image in the Public Domain

Text by Reginald Heber (1783-1826)

Text Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

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Holy, Holy, Holy!  Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;

Holy, Holy Holy! Merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

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Holy Holy, Holy!  all the Saints adore thee,

Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;

Cherubim and Seraphim falling down before thee,

Which, wert, and art, and evermore shall be.

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Holy, Holy, Holy!  though the darkness hide thee,

Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,

Only thou art holy, there is none beside thee

Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

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Holy, Holy, Holy!  Lord God Almighty!

All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth, and sky, and sea;

Holy, Holy, Holy!  Merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

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SOME UNITARIAN VERSIONS OF THE HYMN

(FOR THE SAKE OF CURIOSITY, IF NOTHING ELSE)

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Hymn Sources = Hymns of the Spirit (1937), American Unitarian Association and Universalist Church of America; and Hymns for the Celebration of Life (1964), Unitarian Universalist Association

Holy, holy, holy!  Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;

Holy, holy, holy!  Merciful and Mighty!

Who wert, and art, and evermore shall be.

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Holy, holy, holy!  Though the darkness hide thee,

Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,

Only thou art holy, there is none beside thee

Perfect in power, in love and purity!

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Holy, holy, holy!  Lord God Almighty!

All thy works shall praise thy name in earth, and sky, and sea;

Holy, holy, holy!  Merciful and Mighty!

Who wert, and art, and evermore shall be.

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Hymn Source = Singing the Living Tradition (1993), Unitarian Universalist Association

Holy, holy, holy!  author of creation!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;

holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty;

who was, and is, and evermore shall be.

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Holy, holy, holy, though the darkness hide thee,

hindered by our vanities we have not eyes to see.

Only thou art holy, there is none beside thee,

perfect in power, in love, and purity.

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Holy, holy, holy!  author of creation!

All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea;

holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty;

who was, and is, and evermore shall be.

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Might I state the obvious?  First, the irony of a staunchly Trinitarian hymn appearing in altered forms in Unitarian hymnals is rich.  Furthermore, “hindered by our vanities we have not eyes to see ” is substantially different from “though the sinful eye of man thy glory may not see.”

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

FEBRUARY 23, 2017 COMMON ERA

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Above:  Starry Night

Image in the Public Domain

Text by Reginald Heber (1783-1826)

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

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God, that madest earth and heaven,

Darkness and light;

Who the day for toil has given,

For rest the night;

May thine Angel-guards defend us,

Slumber sweet thy mercy send us,

Holy dreams and hopes attend us,

This livelong night.

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Guard us waking, guard us sleeping;

And, when we die,

May we in thy mighty keeping

All peaceful lie:

When the last dread call shall wake us,

Do not thou our God forsake us,

But to reign in glory take us

With thee on high.

Above:  Meadow of Flowers

Image in the Public Domain

Text by Reginald Heber (1783-1826)

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

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When spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil;

When summer’s balmy showers refresh the mower’s toil:

When winter binds in frosty chains the fallow and he flood;

In God the earth rejoiceth still, and owns his Maker good.

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The birds that wake the morning, and those that love the shade;

The winds that sweep the mountain, or lull the drowsy glade;

The sun that from his amber bower rejoiceth on his way,

The moon and stars–their Maker’s name in silent pomp display.

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Shall man, the lord of nature, expectant of the sky,

Shall man alone, unthankful, his little praise deny?

No; let the year forsake his course, the seasons cease to be,

Thee, Master, must we always love, and Saviour, honour thee.

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The flowers of spring may wither, the hope of summers fade,

The autumn droop in winter, the birds forsake the shade;

The winds be lulled, the sun and moon forget their old decree;

But we, in nature’s latest hour, O Lord, will cling to thee!

Above:  St. James Episcopal Church, Clayton, Georgia, January 29, 2017

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Text by Reginald Heber (1783-1826)

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

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O, most merciful!

O, most bountiful!

God the Father Almighty

By the Redeemer’s

Sweet intercession

Hear us, help us when we cry.