Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Ride on! Ride on! Ride on!

130 Percival-Smith. C. M. D.

1 O Thou Eternal Christ of God,
   Ride on! Ride on! Ride on!
   Establish Thou for evermore
   The triumph now begun.
   A mighty host, by Thee redeemed,
   Is marching in Thy train,
   Thine is the Kingdom and the power,
   And Thou in love shalt reign.

2 O holy Saviour of mankind,
   Ride on! Ride on! Ride on!
   We bear with Thee the scourge and cross
   If so Thy will is done.
   And be the road uphill or down,
   Unbroken or well trod,
   We go with Thee to claim and build
   A city unto God.

3 O Thou whose dreams enthrall the heart,
   Ride on! Ride on! Ride on!
   Ride on till tyranny and greed
   Are evermore undone.
   In mart and court and parliament
   The common good increase,
   Till men at last shall ring the bells
   Of brotherhood and peace.

4 O Thou who art the Life and Light,
   Exalted Lord and King,
   We hail Thine august majesty
   And loud hosanna sing,
   Until in every land and clime
   Thine ends of love are won:
   O Christ, Redeemer, Brother, Friend,
   Ride on! Ride on! Ride on!
                         Calvin W. Laufer
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
Laufer's biography is interesting. This, from the preface to Hymn Lore, is very good: "To live with hymns and to make them one's own is the only sure way of appreciating their literary beauty and spiritual power."

Indeed! That's what I'm trying to do by blogging my way through this hymnal!
</idle musing>

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