1 O young and fearless Prophet
of ancient Galilee,
your life is still a summons
to serve humanity;
to make our thoughts and actions
less prone to please the crowd,
to stand with humble courage
for truth with hearts uncowed.
2 We marvel at the purpose
that held you to your course
while ever on the hilltop
before you loomed the cross;
your steadfast face set forward
where love and duty shone,
while we betray so quickly
and leave you there alone.
3 O help us stand unswerving
against war's bloody way,
where hate and lust and falsehood
hold back Christ's holy sway;
forbid false love of country
that keeps us from your call,
you lift above the nations
the unity of all.
4. Create in us the splendor
that dawns when hearts are kind,
That knows not race nor station
as boundaries of the mind;
That learns to value beauty,
in heart, or brain, or soul,
And longs to bind God’s
children into one perfect whole.
5 O young and fearless Prophet,
we need your presence here,
amid our pride and glory
to see your face appear;
once more to hear your challenge
above our noisy day,
again to lead us forward
along God's holy way.
S. Ralph Harlow
The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition
<idle musing>
This is a relatively rare hymn, occurring in less that forty hymnals. The third verse really speaks to where we are today: "forbid false love of country / that keeps us from your call." Would that people would listen!
Hymnary.org replaces the fourth verse with this one, which is also good. You won't be surprised to find out that the author was a professor of ethics.
4 Stir up in us a protest</idle musing>
against our greed for wealth,
while others starve and hunger
and plead for work and health;
where homes with little children
cry out for lack of bread,
who live their years sore burdened
beneath a gloomy dread.
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