1 O Thou before Whose presence
No evil may come in,
Yet Who dost look in mercy
Down on this world of sin;
O give us noble purpose
To set the sin-bound free,
And Christ-like, tender pity,
To seek the lost for Thee.
2 Fierce is our subtle foeman;
The forces at his hand
With woes that none can number
Despoil the pleasant land;
All they who war against them,
In strife so keen and long,
Must in their Savior's armor
Be stronger than the strong.
3 So hast Thou wrought among us
The great things that we see;
For things that are we thank Thee,
And for the things to be;
For bright hope is uplifting
Faint hands and feeble knees,
To strive beneath Thy blessing
For greater things than these.
4 Lead on, O love and mercy,
O purity and power,
Lead on till peace eternal
Shall close this battle-hour;
Till all who prayed and struggled
To set their brethren free
In triumph meet to praise Thee,
Most Holy Trinity.
Stone, Samuel John, a clergyman of the Church of England, the son of Rev. William Stone, was born at Whitmore, Staffordshire, April 25, 1839. He was educated at Pembroke College, Oxford, where he was graduated B.A. in 1862. Later he took orders and served various Churches. He succeeded his father at St. Paul's, Haggerstown, in 1874. He was the author of many original hymns and translations, which were collected and published in 1886. His hymns are hopeful in spirit and skillfully constructed. He published several poetic volumes. He died November 19, 1900
--Hymn Writers of the Church, 1915 (Charles Nutter)… Go to person page >
Display Title: O Thou, Before Whose PresenceFirst Line: O Thou before whose presenceTune Title: JESU, MAGISTER BONEAuthor: Samuel J. StoneMeter: 76.76 DSource: Supplemental Hymns to Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1889