Eternal Ruler of the ceaseless round

Words: John White Chadwick, 1864

Music: Song 1, Langemarck
Meter: 10 10 10 10 10 10

1. Eternal Ruler of the ceaseless round
    Of circling planets singing on their way,
Guide of the nation from the night profound
    Into the glory of the perfect day;
Rule in our hearts, that we may ever be
Guided and strengthened and upheld by thee.

2. We are of thee, the children of thy love,
    The brothers of thy well-beloved Son;
Descend, O Holy Spirit, like a dove
    Into our hearts, that we may be as one:
As one with thee, to whom we ever tend;
As one with him, our Brother and our Friend.

3. We would be one in hatred of all wrong,
    One in the love of all things sweet and fair,
One with the joy that breaketh into song,
    One with the grief that trembleth into prayer;
One in the power that makes thy children free
To follow truth, and thus to follow thee.

4. Oh, clothe us with thy heavenly armor, Lord,
    Thy trusty shield, thy sword of love divine;
Our inspiration be thy constant word,
    We ask no victories that are not thine;
Give or withhold, let pain or pleasure be;
Enough to know that we are serving thee.

Sheet Music "Rudolfstadt," an Old German melody arranged by Charles L. Safford, 1909, from Henry Sloane Coffin and Ambrose White Vernon, eds., Hymns of the Kingdom of God. New York: The A. S. Barnes Company, 1910, #148.

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