Alfred H. Miles, ed. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century. 1907.
By Hymns. II. “Round the Sacred City gather”Samuel John Stone (1839–1900)
R
Egypt, Edom, Babylon;
All the warring hosts of error,
Sworn against her, are as one:
Vain the leaguer! her foundations
Are upon the holy hills,
And the love of the E
All her stately temple fills.
Gird thee, warrior, with thy sword!
And be strong as ye remember
In your midst is G
Like the night-mists from the valley,
These shall vanish, one by one,
Egypt’s malice, Edom’s envy,
And the hate of Babylon.
Lest the peril be within;
Watch to prayer, lest in your slumber
Stealthy foemen enter in;
Safe the mother and the children
If their will and love be strong,
While their loyal hearts go singing
Prayer and praise for battle-song.
Let His blessing fail our hand;
When our love shall not prefer thee,
Let His love forget our land—
Nay! our memory shall be steadfast
Though in storm the mountains shake,
And our love is love for ever,
For it is for J
And thy Banner’s awful Sign:
By His passion and His glory
Thou art His and He is thine:
From the Hill of His Redemption
Flows thy sacramental tide:
From the Hill of His Ascension
Flows the grace of God thy Guide.
His Society Divine,
His the living Word thou keepest,
His thy Apostolic line,
Ancient prayer and song liturgic,
Creeds that change not to the end,
As His gift we have received them,
As His charge we will defend.
To the F
In Whose will the Church at warfare
With the Church at rest is one:
So to T
G
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Holy, Holy, Holy L