1 Lord, when this holy morning broke
O'er island, continent, and deep,
The far-spread family awoke,
All round the world, the feast to keep.
2 From east to west the sun surveyed,
From north to south adoring throngs;
And still where evening stretched her shade,
And stars came forth, were heard their songs.
3 And not a prayer, a tear, a sigh,
Hath failed this day some suit to gain;
To hearts in trouble Thou was nigh,
No one hath sought Thy face in vain.
4 The poor in spirit Thou hast fed,
Thy chastened ones have kissed the rod,
The mourner Thou hast comforted,
The pure in heart have seen their God.
James Montgomery (b. Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland, 1771; d. Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, 1854), the son of Moravian parents who died on a West Indies mission field while he was in boarding school, Montgomery inherited a strong religious bent, a passion for missions, and an independent mind. He was editor of the Sheffield Iris (1796-1827), a newspaper that sometimes espoused radical causes. Montgomery was imprisoned briefly when he printed a song that celebrated the fall of the Bastille and again when he described a riot in Sheffield that reflected unfavorably on a military commander. He also protested against slavery, the lot of boy chimney sweeps, and lotteries. Associated with Christians of various persuasions, Montgomery supported missio… Go to person page >
Display Title: Lord, when this holy morning brokeFirst Line: Lord, when this holy morning brokeMeter: L. M.Date: 1871Subject: Family Worship | Sunday Evening