1 O Lord and Master of us all,
whate’er our name or sign,
we own thy sway, we hear thy call,
we test our lives by Thine.
2 Thou judgest us; thy purity
doth all our lusts condemn;
the love that draws us nearer thee
is hot with wrath to them.
3 Yet weak and blinded though we be,
thou dost our service own;
we bring our varying gifts to thee,
and thou rejectest none.
4 Apart from thee all gain is loss,
all labor vainly done;
the solemn shadow of the cross
is better than the sun.
5 We faintly hear, we dimly see,
in diff'ring phrase we pray;
but, dim or clear, we own in thee
the Life, the Truth, the Way.
Source: Rejoice in the Lord #358
Whittier, John Greenleaf, the American Quaker poet, was born at Haverhill, Massachusetts, Dec. 17, 1807. He began life as a farm-boy and shoemaker, and subsequently became a successful journalist, editor and poet. In 1828 he became editor of the American Manufacturer (Boston), in 1830 of the New England Review, and an 1836 (on becoming Secretary to the American Anti-Slavery Society) of the Pennsylvania Freeman. He was also for some time, beginning with 1847, the corresponding editor of the National Era. In 1840 he removed to Amesbury, Massachusetts, where most of his later works have been written. At the present time [1890] he lives alternately at Amesbury and Boston. His first poetical piece was printed in the Newburyport Free Press in 182… Go to person page >
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