To prayer, to prayer!—for the morning breaks,
And earth in her Maker’s smile awakes;
His light is on all below and above,
The light of gladness, and life, and love:
O, then, on the breath of this early air,
Send upward the incense of grateful prayer.
To prayer!—for the day that God has blest
Comes tranquilly on with its solemn rest;
It speaks of creation’s early bloom,—
It speaks of the Prince who burst the tomb:
Then summon the spirit’s exalted powers,
And devote to heaven the hallowed hours.
Awake, awake, and gird up thy strength,
To join Christ’s holy band at length;
To Him who unceasing love displays,
Whom the powers of nature unceasingly praise;
To Him thy heart and thy hours be given,
For a life of prayer is the life of heaven.
Source: A Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion (15th ed.) #2
Henry Ware was born in Hingham, Massachusetts, in 1793. His father was a Unitarian minister; afterwards a Professor in Harvard College. Young Ware graduated at Harvard, studied theology, and became minister of the Second Unitarian Society, in Boston, in 1817. After a ministry of twelve years, he made a foreign tour, and on his return was elected "Parkman Professor of Pulpit Eloquence and Pastoral Theology" in Harvard College. In this position he obtained eminence. He died in September, 1843. His collected works in four volumes, were edited after his death, by the Rev. Chandler Robbins.
--Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872… Go to person page >
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