Spirit of truth, on this Thy day

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Spirit of truth, on this Thy day

Author: Reginald Heber
Published in 75 hymnals

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Representative Text

1 Spirit of truth, on this Thy day,
To Thee for help we cry,
To guide us through the dreary way,
To guide us through the dreary way
Of dark mortality.

2 We ask not, Lord, the cloven flame,
Or tongues of various tone;
But long Thy praises to proclaim,
But long Thy praises to proclaim
With fervor in our own.

3 We mourn not that prophetic skill
Is found on earth no more;
Enough for us to trace Thy will,
Enough for us to trace Thy will
In Scripture’s sacred lore.

4 When tongues shall cease, and power decay,
And knowledge empty prove,
Do Thou Thy trembling servants stay,
Do Thou Thy trembling servants stay
With faith, and hope, and love.

Amen.

Source: Book of Worship with Hymns and Tunes #274

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Author: Reginald Heber

Reginald Heber was born in 1783 into a wealthy, educated family. He was a bright youth, translating a Latin classic into English verse by the time he was seven, entering Oxford at 17, and winning two awards for his poetry during his time there. After his graduation he became rector of his father's church in the village of Hodnet near Shrewsbury in the west of England where he remained for 16 years. He was appointed Bishop of Calcutta in 1823 and worked tirelessly for three years until the weather and travel took its toll on his health and he died of a stroke. Most of his 57 hymns, which include "Holy, Holy, Holy," are still in use today. -- Greg Scheer, 1995… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Spirit of truth, on this Thy day
Author:	Reginald Heber
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Notes

Spirit of Truth! on this Thy day. Bishop B. Heber. [Whitsuntide.] Appeared in his posthumous Hymns, &c, 1827, p. 82, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines. It is in several modern hymnbooks in Great Britain and America, and usually in an abbreviated form. For the date 1812, sometimes assigned to it, we have no evidence.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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