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Father of love and power

Representative Text

1. Father of love and power,
Guard Thou our evening hour,
Shield with Thy might;
For all Thy care this day
Our grateful thanks we pay,
And to our Father pray,
Bless us tonight!

2. Jesus, Emmanuel,
Come, in Thy love to dwell
In hearts contrite.
For all our sins we grieve,
But we Thy grace receive,
And in Thy Word believe;
Bless us tonight!

3. Spirit of holiness,
Gentle, transforming, grace,
Indwelling Light!
Soothe Thou each weary breast,
Now let Thy peace possessed
Calm us to perfect rest;
Bless us tonight!

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #1548

Author: George Rawson

Born: June 5, 1807, Leeds, England. Died: March 25, 1889, Clifton, England. Buried: Arno’s Vale Cemetery, Bristol, England. Pseudonym: A Leeds Layman. Rawson, George, was born June 5, 1807, at Leeds, in which town he practised for many years as a solicitor. In 1853 he assisted the Congregational ministers of Leeds in the compilation of Psalms, Hymns, and Passages of Scripture for Christian Worship, a volume commonly known as the Leeds Hymn-book. Mr. Rawson was a member of the Congregational body. In 1858 he also assisted Rev. Dr. Green and other Baptist ministers in the preparation of Psalms and Hymns for the use of the Baptist Denomination. A number of Mr. Rawson's own compositions first appeared in this and in the Leeds Hymn-boo… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Father of love and power
Author: George Rawson (1853)
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

Father of love and power. G. Rawson. [Evening.] First published in theLeeds Hymn Book, 1853, No. 761, in 3 stanzas of 7 lines, again in the Baptist Psalms and Hymns, 1858-1880, No. 917, and others; and in his Hymns, &c, 1876, No. 51. In a manuscript note to this hymn (in the editor's copy) in the last named work, the author, finding that he had unconsciously given three lines from Marriott's "Thou Whose Almighty Word," in stanza iii.,has substituted the following stanza:—

"Spirit of holiness,
Gentle transforming Grace,
Indwelling Light;
Soothe Thou each weary breast,
Now let Thy peace possessed,
Calm us to perfect rest,—
Bless us to-night."

This, together with stanzas i. and ii. in his Hymns, &c, constitute the author's revised text. In Skinner's Daily Service Hymnal, 1864, No. 28, the text is considerably altered, a doxology is added, and the whole is attributed to "C.L.," i.e. Christian Lyrics, 1860.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #1548
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Instances

Instances (1 - 2 of 2)

Church Hymnal, Mennonite #195

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The Cyber Hymnal #1548

Include 57 pre-1979 instances
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