Above:  Ruins of Babylon, 1932

Image Source = Library of Congress

(http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/mpc2005007825/PP/)

Reproduction Number = LC-DIG-matpc-13231

Words (1931) by Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)

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

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1.  Thou Judge by  whom each empire fell,

When pride of power o’er came it,

Convict us now, if we rebel,

Our nation judge, and shame it.

In each sharp crisis, Lord, appear,

Forgive, and show our duty clear:

To serve thee by repentance.

2.  Search, Lord, our spirits in thy sight,

In best and worst reveal us;

Shed on our souls a blaze of light,

And judge, that thou may’st heal us.

The present be our judgment day,

When all our lack thou dost survey:

Show us ourselves and save us.

3.  Lo, fearing nought we come to thee,

Though by our fault confounded;

Though selfish, mean, and base we be,

Thy justice is unbounded:

So large, it nought but love requires,

And, judging, pardons, frees, inspires,

Deliver us from evil!

Above:  St. David’s Episcopal Church, Roswell, Georgia, December 18, 2011

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://plus.google.com/photos/114749828757741527421/albums/5687616707453348225/5687623013139666338?banner=pwa&pid=5687623013139666338&oid=114749828757741527421)

Words (1931) by Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)

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

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1.  Ah!  think not the Lord Lord delayeth:

“I am with you,” still he sayeth,

“Do you yet not understand?”

Look not back, the past regretting;

On the dawn your hearts be setting;

Rise and join the Lord’s command.

2.  For e’en now the reign of heaven

Spreads throughout the world like leaven,

Unobserved, and very near,

Like the seed when no man knoweth,

Like the sheltering tree that groweth,

Comes the life eternal here.

3.  Not for us to find the reasons,

Or to know the times and seasons,

Comes the Lord when strikes the hour;

Ours to bear the faithful witness

Which can shape the world to fitness,

Thine, O God, to give the power.

Above:  Camp Mikell, Near Toccoa, Georgia, October 25, 2013

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://plus.google.com/photos/114749828757741527421/albums/5938872943494898465/5939066086647492338?banner=pwa&pid=5939066086647492338&oid=114749828757741527421)

Words by Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)

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

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1.  O Father above us, our father in might,

All live by thy love, as the flowers in light;

Our father and mother and maker art thou.

Forward!  Forward ever, forward now!

2.  In thee move the infinite stars on their rounds,

The planets, the sun, and the moon in their bounds,

As they kindle and glitter and sparkle and glow:

Onward!  Onward ever, onward now!

3.  O Father in heaven, our father on earth,

Thou makest new life in each seed and each birth;

The inventor, designer, and artist art thou.

Forward!  Forward ever, forward now!

4.  We praise thee, O Father of infinite might,

We thank thee for life and for love and for light,

We pray thee thy treasure on all to bestow:

Onward!  Onward ever, onward go!

Above:  St. Christopher’s at the Crossroads Episcopal Church, Perry, Georgia, October 27, 2013

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://plus.google.com/photos/114749828757741527421/albums/5939573913241556177/5939573916986874370?banner=pwa&pid=5939573916986874370&oid=114749828757741527421)

Words (1931) by Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)

Hymn Source = The Methodist Hymnal (1935)

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1.  When by fear my heart is daunted,

Thou dost hold me in Thy hand;

Prayerless, anxious, vainly haunted,

Thou dost make my courage stand:

Foolish worries, fretting troubles,

Melt away at Thy command.

2.  God, Thou art unfailing treasure,

Refuge Thou, and faithful Friend;

Thy resources none can measure,

Naught Thy steadfastness can bend.

Life and light and love immortal,

Firmly we on Thee depend.

3.  Held by love, to peace I win me,

Confident whate’er betide;

Safe in hope, Thy spirit in me,

With th’eternal power I hide;

Strength and health are mine, and valor–

Bravely over care I ride.

Above:  Easter Vigil, St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia, March 31, 2013

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://plus.google.com/photos/114749828757741527421/albums/5861636071859841105/5861631937773272002?banner=pwa&pid=5861631937773272002&oid=114749828757741527421)

Words (1931) by Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)

Hymn Source = The Methodist Hymnal (1935)

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1.  Life is good, for God contrives it,

Deep on deep its wonder lies;

Death is good, for man survives it,

Lives again in better guise:

This they knew the night they hailed Him,

When He came thro’ that which veiled Him,

Alleluia, Alleluia!

Smiling, wonderful, and wise.

2.  Failure cuts the way to triumph,

Winter shapes the leaves of spring;

Easter came because the Master

Loved the light of truth to bring.

Vainly priests in hatred slew Him;

He came back, His loved ones knew Him,

Alleluia, Alleluia!

Where, O death, is now thy sting?

3.  Lord, in Thee shines man’s perfection–

King and selfless, strong, and brave;

And Thy life and resurrection

Tells of joy beyond the grave.

All mankind is nobled thro’ Thee;

All are brothers coming to Thee,

Alleluia, Alleluia!

Thine the power to guide and save.

Above:  Pieta, Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Atlanta, Georgia, Good Friday, March 28, 2013

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://plus.google.com/photos/114749828757741527421/albums/5862014508481864385/5862017046324345010?banner=pwa&pid=5862017046324345010&oid=114749828757741527421)

Original Latin text by St. Venantius Hororius Clementius Fortunatus (died 600/609), Bishop of Pontiers

English translation (1931) by Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)

Hymn Source = The United Methodist Hymnal (1989), of The United Methodist Church

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1.  Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle, sing the ending of the fray;

now above the cross the trophy, sound the loud triumphant lay;

tell how Christ, the world’s Redeemer, as a victim won the day.

2.  Tell how, when at length the fullness of th’appointed time was come,

Christ, the Word, was born of woman, left for us his heavenly home;

showed us human life made perfect, shone as light amid the gloom.

3.  Thus, with thirty years accomplished, went he forth from Nazareth,

destined, dedicated, willing, wrought his work, and met his death.

Like a lamb he humbly yielded on the cross his dying breath.

4.  Faithful cross, thou sign of triumph, now for us the noblest tree,

none in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit they peer may be;

symbol of the world’s redemption, for the weight that hung on thee.

5.  Unto God be praise and glory:  to the Father and the Son,

to th’eternal Spirit honor now and evermore be done;

praise and glory in the highest, while unending ages run.

Above:  Easter Vigil, St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia, March 31, 2013

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://plus.google.com/photos/114749828757741527421/albums/5861968701435894753/5861971650597386290?banner=pwa&pid=5861971650597386290&oid=114749828757741527421)

Original text by Friedrich von Spee (1591-1635)

English translation by Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1982, of The Episcopal Church

“Hilariter” is Latin for “joyfully.”

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1.  The whole bright world rejoices now,

Hilariter, hilariter!

The birds do sin on every bough,

Alleulia, alleulia!

2.  Then shout beneath the racing skies,

Hilariter, hilariter!

To him who rose that we might rise,

Alleuluia, alleluia!

3.  And all you living things make praise,

Hilariter, hilariter!

He guideth you on all your ways,

Alleluia, alleluia!

4.  To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Hilariter, hilariter!

Our God most high, our joy and boast,

Alleluia, alleluia!

Above:  The Right Reverend Robert C. Wright, Bishop of Atlanta, at St. Christopher’s at the Crossroads Episcopal Church, Perry, Georgia, October 27, 2013

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://plus.google.com/photos/114749828757741527421/albums/5939573913241556177/5939574045509608754?banner=pwa&pid=5939574045509608754&oid=114749828757741527421)

Words (1931) by Percy Dearmer  (1867-1936)

Hymn Source = The Methodist Hymnal (1935)

The 1937 companion volume to that hymnal tells me that Dearmer composed this text as “another hymn about God” to fit the tune “Oriel.”

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1.  To the Name that is salvation,

Praise and homage let us pay;

Life of every generation,

Law that all the stars obey;

Love and light by whose creation

All that is stands fast today.

2.  Fairest Name beyond all speaking,

Fullest end of all desire;

Close, yet far beyond all seeking,

Goodness, beauty, truth, entire;

Wisdom, never vengeance wreaking,

Radiance never vexed with ire.

3.  ‘Tis the Name of mercy, speeding

Just and unjust with His ray;

Power that rules by patient leading,

Not by force, the easier way;

So that man, in freedom heading,

May the law of love obey.

4.  Name of aw and Name of pleasure,

Glow divine of grace untold;

Sum of values, whose full treasure

Striving art can ne’er unfold;

Sea of virtue passing measure,

Life that doth all life uphold.

5.  Hail, O Father, all creating,

Now, as when the world began;

Master Mind, amazed we hail Thee,

As the light-year depths we scan;

Spirit of transcendent union,

True and just Thy ways to man!

Above:  Part of the Text, from The Methodist Hymnal (1966)

Words (1906) by Percy Dearmer (1867-1936), after John Bunyan (1628-1688)

Hymn Source = The Methodist Hymnal/The Book of Hymns (1966), of The Methodist Church (1939-1968) then The United Methodist Church (1968-)

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1.  He who would valiant be

‘Gainst all disaster,

Let him in constancy

Follow the Master.

There’s no discouragement

Shall make him once relent

His first avowed intent

To be a pilgrim.

2.  Who so beset him round

With dismal stories,

Do but themselves confound,

His strength the more is.

No foes shall stay his might,

Though he with giants fight;

He will make good his right

To be a pilgrim.

3.  Since, Lord, thou dost defend

Us with thy spirit,

We know we at the end

Shall life inherit.

Then fancies flee away!

I’ll flee not what men say;

I’ll labor night and day

To be a pilgrim.

Above:  Part of the Text, from the Service Book and Hymnal (1958)

Original Latin Words from Circa the 900s C.E.

English Translation (1906) by Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)

Hymn Source = Lutheran Service Book and Hymnal (1958)

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1.  Father most holy, merciful, and tender;

Jesus our Saviour, with the Father reigning;

Spirit all kindly, Advocate, Defender,

Light never waning;

2.  Trinity sacred, Unity unshaken;

Deity perfect, giving and forgiving,

Light of the angels, Life of the forsaken,

Hope of all living.

3.  Maker of all things, all thy creatures praise thee;

Lo, all things serve thee through thy whole creation:

Hear us, Almighty, hear us, as we raise thee

Heart’s adoration.

4.  To the all-ruling triune God be glory:

Highest and greatest, help thou our endeavor,

We too would praise thee, giving honor worthy,

Now and for ever.  Amen.