1 Lord, pour thy Spirit from on high,
and thine ordainèd servants bless;
graces and gifts to each supply,
and clothe thy priests with righteousness.
2 Within thy temple when they stand,
to teach the truth as taught by thee,
Saviour, like stars in thy right hand,
let all thy church’s pastors be.
3 Wisdom, and zeal, and faith impart,
firmness with meekness, from above,
to bear thy people in their heart,
and love the souls whom thou dost love.
4 To watch, and pray, and never faint,
by day and night their guard to keep,
to warn the sinner, cheer the saint,
to feed thy lambs, and tend thy sheep.
5 So, when their work is finished here,
may they in hope their charge resign;
so, when their Master shall appear,
may they with crowns of glory shine.
Source: CPWI Hymnal #700
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 >
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