Chapter L: M. 6 l

Our Father, Thou in heaven above,
Who biddest us to dwell in love,
As brothers of one family,
And cry for all we need to Thee:
Teach us to mean the words we say
And from our inmost heart to pray.

2. Thy name be hallowed! Help us, Lord,
To keep in purity Thy Word
And lead according to Thy name
A holy life, untouched by blame.
Let no false teachings do us hurt,
All poor, deluded souls convert.

3. Thy kingdom come! Thine let it be
In time and through eternity!
Oh, let Thy Holy Spirit dwell
With us to rule and guide us well.
From Satan’s mighty power and rage
Preserve Thy Church from age to age.

4. Thy will be done on earth, O Lord,
As where in heaven Thou art adored!
Patience in time of grief bestow,
Obedience in weal and woe;
Our sinful flesh and blood control
That thwart Thy will within the soul.

5. Give us this day our daily bread
And all that for this life we need;
From war and strife be our Defense,
From famine and from pestilence,
That we may live in godly peace,
Unvexed by cares and avarice.

6. Lord, all our trespasses forgive
That they our hearts no more may grieve,
As we forgive their trespasses
Who unto us have done amiss.
Thus let us dwell in charity
And serve each other willingly.

7. Into temptation lead us not;
And when the Foe doth war and plot
Against our souls on every hand,
Then, armed with faith, O may we stand
Against him as a valiant host,
Through comfort of the Holy Ghost.

8. From evil, Lord, deliver us;
The times and days are perilous.
Redeem us from eternal death;
And when we yield our dying breath,
Console us, grant us calm release,
And take our souls to Thee in peace.

9. Amen! that is, So let it be!
Confirm our faith continually
That we may doubt not, but believe
That what we ask we shall receive;
Thus in Thy name and at Thy word
We say: Amen; O hear us, Lord!

Martin Luther, 1539.

397

S. M.

Our heavenly Father, hear
The prayer we offer now;
Thy name be hallowed far and near,
To Thee all nations bow.

2. Thy kingdom come; Thy will
On earth be done in love,
As saints and seraphim fulfil
Thy holy will above.

3. Our daily bread supply
While by Thy word we live;
The guilt of our iniquity
Forgive as we forgive.

4. From dark temptation’s power,
From Satan’s wiles defend;
Deliver in the evil hour
And guide us to the end.

5. Thine shall forever be
Glory and power divine;
The scepter, throne, and majesty
Of heaven and earth are Thine.

James Montgomery, 1825.

398

C. M.

Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,
Uttered or unexpressed;
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast.

2. Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.

3. Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;
Prayer the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high.

4. Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice,
Returning from his ways,
While angels in their songs rejoice
And cry, “Behold, he prays!”

5. Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath.
The Christian’s native air,
His watchword at the gate of death,—
He enters heaven with prayer.

6. The saints in prayer appear as one
In word and deed and mind,
While with the Father and the Son
Sweet fellowship they find.

7. Nor prayer is made by man alone,—
The Holy Spirit pleads,
And Jesus on th’ eternal throne
For sinners intercedes.

8. O Thou, by whom we come to God,
The Life, the Truth, the Way,
The path of prayer Thyself hast trod,—
Lord, teach us how to pray!

James Montgomery, 1818.

399

C. M.

Approach, my soul, the mercy-seat,
Where Jesus answers prayer;
There humbly fall before His feet,
For none can perish there.

2. Thy promise is my only plea,
With this I venture nigh;
Thou callest burdened souls to Thee,
And such, O Lord, am I.

3. Bowed down beneath a load of sin,
By Satan sorely pressed,
By wars without and fears within,
I come to Thee for rest.

4. Be Thou my Shield and Hiding-place,
That, sheltered near Thy side,
I may my fierce Accuser face
And tell him Thou hast died.

5. O wondrous Love, to bleed and die,
To bear the cross and shame,
That guilty sinners such as I
Might plead Thy gracious name!

John Newton, 1779.

BAPTISM.

400

9, 8, 9, 8, 8, 8

Baptized into Thy name most holy,
O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
I claim a place, though weak and lowly,
Among Thy seed, Thy chosen host.
Buried with Christ and dead to sin,
Thy Spirit now shall live within.

2. My loving Father, Thou dost take me
To be henceforth Thy child and heir;
My faithful Savior, Thou dost make me
The fruit of all Thy sorrows share;
Thou, Holy Ghost, wilt comfort me
When darkest clouds around I see.

3. And I have vowed to fear and love Thee
And to obey Thee, Lord, alone;
I felt Thy Holy Spirit move me
And freely pledged myself Thine own,
Renouncing sin to keep the faith
And war with evil unto death.

4. My faithful God, Thou failest never,
Thy covenant surely will abide;
O cast me not away forever
Should I transgress it on my side;
If I have sore my soul defiled,
Yet still forgive, restore Thy child.

5. Yea, all I am and love most dearly,
To Thee I offer new the whole;
O let me make my vows sincerely,
Take full possession of my soul;
Let naught within me, naught I own,
Serve any will but Thine alone.

6. Depart, depart, thou Prince of Darkness!
No more by thee I’ll be enticed.
Mine is indeed a tarnished conscience,
But sprinkled with the blood of Christ.
Away, vain world! O sin, away!
Lo! I renounce you all this day.

7. And never let my purpose falter,
O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
But keep me faithful to Thine altar
Till Thou shalt call me from my post;
So unto Thee I’ll live and die
And praise Thee evermore on high.

J. J. Rambach, † 1735; C. Winkworth, tr., a.

401

8, 7, 8, 7, 8, 7, 8, 7, 7

To Jordan came our Lord, the Christ,
To do God’s pleasure willing,
And there was by Saint John baptized,
All righteousness fulfilling;
There did He consecrate a bath
To wash away transgression
And quench the bitterness of death
By His own blood and Passion,
He would a new life give us.

2. So hear ye all and well perceive
What God doth call a Baptism
And what a Christian should believe
Who error shuns and schism:
That we should water use the Lord
Declareth is His pleasure,
Not simple water, but the Word
And Spirit without measure;—
He is the true Baptizer.

3. To show us this, He hath His Word
With signs and symbols given;
On Jordan’s banks was plainly heard
The Father’s voice from heaven:
“This is My well-beloved Son,
In whom My soul delighteth;
Hear Him!” Yea, hear Him, every one,
Whom He Himself inviteth;
Hear and obey His teaching!

4. In tender manhood God the Son
In Jordan’s water standeth;
The Holy Ghost from heaven’s throne
In dovelike form descendeth;
That thus the truth be not denied,
Nor should our faith e’er waver,
That all three Persons do preside
At Baptism’s holy laver
And dwell with the believer.

5. Thus Jesus His disciples sent:
Go, teach ye every nation,
That, lost in sin, they must repent
And flee from condemnation.
He that believes and is baptized
Shall thereby have salvation,
A new-born man he is in Christ,
From death free and damnation,
He shall inherit heaven.

6. Who in this mercy hath not faith
Nor aught therein discerneth,
Is yet in sin, condemned to death
And fire that ever burneth;
His holiness avails him not,
Nor aught which he is doing;
His inborn sin brings all to naught
And maketh sure his ruin;
Himself he cannot succor.

7. The eye of sense alone is dim
And nothing sees but water;
Faith sees Christ Jesus and in Him
The Lamb ordained for slaughter;
It sees the cleansing fountain, red
With the dear blood of Jesus,
Which from the sins, inherited
From fallen Adam, frees us
And from our own misdoings.

Martin Luther, 1543; R. Massie, tr., a.

402

7, 8, 7, 8, 8, 8

Blessed Jesus, here we stand,
Met to do as Thou hast spoken;
And this child, at Thy command,
Now we bring to Thee in token
That to Christ it here is given;
For of such shall be Thy heaven.

2. Yes, Thy warning voice is plain,
And we would obey it duly:
“He who is not born again,
Heart and life renewing truly,
Born of water and the Spirit,
Will My kingdom ne’er inherit.”

3. Therefore hasten we to Thee;
Take the pledge we bring, O take it!
Let us here Thy glory see
And in tender pity make it
Now Thy child and leave it never,
Thine on earth and Thine forever.

4. Wash it, Jesus, in Thy blood
From the sin-stain of its nature;
Let it rise from out this flood
Clothed in Thee, a new-born creature;
May it, washed as Thou hast bidden,
In Thine innocence be hidden.

5. Turn its darkness into light,
To Thy grace receive and save it;
Heal the Serpent’s venomed bite
In the font where now we lave it;
Here let flow a Jordan river
And from leprosy deliver.

6. Make it, Head, Thy member now;
Shepherd, take Thy lamb and feed it;
Prince of Peace, its Peace be Thou;
Way of Life, to heaven lead it;
Vine, this branch may nothing sever,
Graft by faith in Thee forever.

7. Now into Thy heart we pour
Prayers that from our hearts proceeded;
Let our sighing heavenward soar,
Let our warm desires be heeded.
Write the name we now have given,
Write it in the book of heaven.

B. Schmolck, 1704; C. Winkworth, tr.

403

L. M.

Now Christ, the very Son of God,
On sinners sends another flood;
It is the water which the Lord
Has comprehended in the Word.

2. This flood, to cleanse sin’s leprosy,
Mere earthly water cannot be;
But water and God’s gracious Word
Conjoined, this saving bath afford.

3. “Go ye,” says Christ, “My Word proclaim,
Baptize the nations in God’s name;
All who are baptized and believe
My full salvation shall receive.”

4. God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
To be baptized invites the host;
He will be present, though unseen,
From all their sins to wash them clean.

5. So, too, by our repentance, must
The old man, with his sins and lust,
Be daily drowned and then arise
A new man, righteous, pure, and wise.

6. That by the water and the Word
We’re born again, we thank Thee, Lord.
In life and death Thine let us be
And Thine in all eternity.

N. Selnecker, 1572; C. H. L. Schuette, tr., 1880.

404

L. M.

This child we dedicate to Thee,
O God of grace and purity!
Shield it from sin and threatening wrong
And let Thy love its life prolong.

2. Oh, may Thy Spirit gently draw
Its willing soul to keep Thy Law!
May virtue, piety, and truth
Dawn even with its dawning youth!

3. We, too, before Thy gracious sight,
Once shared the blest baptismal rite
And would renew its solemn vow
With love and thanks and praises now.

4. Grant that with true and faithful heart
We still may act the Christian’s part,
Cheered by each promise Thou hast given
And laboring for the prize in heaven.

From the German. S. Gilman, tr., 1823.

405

10, 6, 10, 6, 8, 8, 4

Father of heaven, who hast created all
And rulest all, we pray,
Look on this babe, who at Thy gracious call
Now enters on life’s way.
Oh, make it Thine; Thy blessing give,
That to Thy glory it may live,
Father of heav’n!

2. O Son of God, atoning Lord, behold,
We bring this babe to Thee:
Take it, O loving Shepherd, to Thy fold,
Forever Thine to be;
Defend it through this earthly strife
And lead it on the path of life,
O Son of God!

3. O Holy Ghost, who broodest o’er the wave,
Descend upon this child;
Give it undying life, its spirit lave
With waters undefiled,
And make it evermore to be
An heir of bliss, a shrine for Thee,
O Holy Ghost!

4. O Triune God, what Thou hast willed is done;
We speak, but Thine the might.
This babe hath hardly seen our earthly sun,
Yet on it pour Thy light
Of faith and hope and joyful love,
Thou Sun of all below, above,
O Triune God!

A. Knapp, 1841; C. Winkworth, tr., 1858.

406

S. M.

The Savior kindly calls
Our children to His breast;
He folds them in His gracious arms,
Himself declares them blest.

2. “Let them approach,” He cries,
“Nor scorn their humble claim;
The heirs of heaven are such as these,
For such as these I came.”

3. With joy we bring them, Lord,
Devoting them to Thee,
Imploring that, as we are Thine,
Thine may our offspring be.

H. U. Onderdonk, 1826.

407

S. M.

Stand, soldier of the Cross,
Thy high allegiance claim
And vow to hold the world but loss
For Thy Redeemer’s name.

2. Arise and be baptized
And wash thy sins away;
Thy league with God be solemnized,
Thy faith confessed to-day.

3. No more thine own, but Christ’s;
With all the saints of old,
Apostles, seers, evangelists,
And martyr-throngs enrolled:

4. In God’s whole armor strong,
Front hell’s embattled powers.
The warfare may be sharp and long,
The victory must be ours.

5. O bright the conqueror’s crown,
The song of triumph sweet.
When faith casts every trophy down
At our great Captain’s feet!

E. H. Bickersteth, 1870, a.

CONFIRMATION.

408

7, 6, 8 l

Let me be Thine forever,
Thou faithful God and Lord;
Let me forsake Thee never
Nor wander from Thy Word;
Lord, do not let me waver,
But give me steadfastness,
And for such grace forever
Thy holy name I’ll bless.

2. Lord Jesus, my Salvation,
My Light, my Life divine,
My only Consolation,
O make me wholly Thine!
For Thou hast dearly bought me
With blood and bitter pain;
Let me, since Thou hast sought me,
Eternal life obtain.

3. And Thou, O Holy Spirit,
My Comforter and Guide,
Grant that in Jesus’ merit
I always may confide,
Him to the end confessing,
Whom I have known by faith.
Give me Thy constant blessing
And grant a Christian death.

N. Selnecker, 1572; M. Loy, tr., a., 1880.

409

6, 5, 8 l

In the hour of trial,
Jesus, plead for me,
Lest by base denial
I depart from Thee.
When Thou see’st me waver,
With a look recall
Nor from fear or favor
Suffer me to fall.

2. With forbidden pleasures
Would this vain world charm
Or its sordid treasures
Spread to work me harm.
Bring to my remembrance
Sad Gethsemane
Or, in darker semblance,
Cross-crowned Calvary.

3. Should Thy mercy send me
Sorrow, toil, and woe,
Or should pain attend me
On my path below,
Grant that I may never
Fail Thy hand to see;
Grant that I may ever
Cast my care on Thee.

4. When my last hour cometh,
Fraught with strife and pain,
When my dust returneth
To the dust again,
On Thy truth relying,
Through that mortal strife,
Jesus, take me, dying,
To eternal life.

James Montgomery, 1834, a.

410