Classic Poem

O Lord, do Thou bless evermore
With Thy love, and the light of Thy word,
These children who come in their faith
To own Thee as their heavenly Lord.

Our faith, Thou hast said, must be shown,
And be own'd by the old and the young,
" In faith of the heart, man is just,
And is saved in confession by tongue.

Whoever owns me before men
So I him before angels will own,
And whoso to men owns me not
Shall in heaven to me be unknown."

And blest are Thy matryrs of old
Who in faith, with their last dying breath,
Confess'd Thee the life of their soul
While confession was bodily death.

Thy blessing erst put on the heads
Of Thy twelve has come down its long way,
Head by head, as in links of a chain,
To these heads that are hallow'd to-day.

And blest is Thy church in her peace,
With her service a joy without pain,
Where our faith may be utter'd aloud,
Without dread of the cross or the chain.