November 17, 2013:

O Brother Man, Fold to Thy Heart

Both our New Century Hymnal and Pilgrim Hymnal contain wonderful, thoughtful hymns that can rarely be included in worship. The words may be a bit old-fashioned and the tunes difficult to sing. Yet, they should not be overlooked and forgotten.

The poems of John Greenleaf Whittier, an American Quaker who lived through most of the nineteenth century, are a case in point. His only hymn we use from time to time is “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind.”  Too bad. Whittier was a passionate advocate for peace and for the abolition of slavery. He deserves to be remembered. Here is one of his hymns for all of us to ponder:

“O Brother Man, Fold to Thy Heart”

O brother man, fold to thy heart thy brother:

Where pity dwells, the peace of God is there;

To worship rightly is to love each other,

Each smile a hymn, each kindly deed a prayer.

Follow with reverent steps the great example

Of him whose holy work was doing good:

So shall the wide earth seem our Father’s temple,

Each loving life a psalm of gratitude.

Then shall all shakles fall:  the stormy clangor

Of wild war music o’er the earth shall cease;

Love shall tread out the baleful fire of anger,

And in its ashes plant the tree of peace.  Amen.

Love,
Dave