Lord and Savior, true and kind

560 Boyce (Sharon). 7. 7. 7. 7.

1. Lord and Savior, true and kind,
   Be the Master of my mind;
   Bless, and guide, and strengthen still
   All my powers of thought and will.

2. While I ply the scholar’s task,
   Jesus Christ, be near, I ask;
   Help the memory, clear the brain,
   Knowledge still to seek and gain.

3. Here I train for life’s swift race;
   Let me do it in Thy grace;
   Here I arm me for life’s fight;
   Let me do it in Thy might.

4. Thou hast made me mind and soul;
   I for Thee would use the whole;
   Thou hast died that I might live;
   All my powers to Thee I give.

5. Striving, thinking, learning, still,
   Let me follow thus Thy will,
   Till my whole glad nature be
   Trained for duty and for Thee.
                         Handley C. G. Moule
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
No, not that Moule! This is his great uncle, also an important scholar and bishop of Durham. I wasn't aware that he had written any hymns, but it appears he wrote several, none of which are in more than eight hymnals.

I don't recall ever singing—or even noticing—this hymn before, but I really like the sentiments it expresses.

That brings us to the end of the regular part of this hymnal. The next section is entitled "Music for the Holy Communion, Response, Doxologies, Ancient Hymns and Canticles." Not sure how much of that I'll be posting. After this hymnal, I'll probably go through the hymnal that superseded it, The Book of Hymns. There will undoubtably be duplicates, which I won't be posting. I do recall the excitement when the church bought these new hymnals. It included "How Great Thou Art," which was always a popular solo choice because it wasn't in the previous hymnal.
</idle musing>