John Greenleaf Whittier: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Lord and Father of Mankind

John Greenleaf Whittier

“Lord and Father of Mankind” as printed in The Canadian Soldiers' Song Book (1918).

John Greenleaf Whittier: Collected Lyrics Text 1 1918 · historical text
Public domainSoldier songHistorical song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Canadian Soldiers' Song Book, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,

Forgive our feverish ways!

Re-clothe us in our rightful mind;

In purer lives Thy service find,

In deeper reverence, praise.

Verse 2

In simple trust like theirs who heard

Beside the Syrian sea,

The gracious calling of the Lord,

Let us, like them, without a word

Rise up and follow Thee.

Verse 3

O Sabbath rest by Galilee!

O calm of hills above,

Where Jesus knelt to share with Thee

The silence of eternity,

Interpreted by love!

Verse 4

With that deep hush subduing all

Our words and works that drown

The tender whisper of Thy call,

As noiseless let Thy blessing fall

As fell Thy manna down.

Verse 5

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,

Till all our strivings cease:

Take from our souls the strain and stress,

And let our ordered lives confess

The beauty of Thy peace.

Verse 6

Breathe through the pulses of desire

Thy coolness and Thy balm;

Let sense be dumb, its heats expire:

Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,

O still small voice of calm! Amen.

Credits

Written by John Greenleaf Whittier

Words by John Greenleaf Whittier. Historical text published in The Canadian Soldiers' Song Book (1918); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Canadian Soldiers' Song Book (1918), “Lord and Father of Mankind”

The 1918 published edition is in the public domain in the United States (pre-1931 publication). Entries whose credited author died more than 70 years ago are also in the public domain in life-plus-70 jurisdictions; other entries are held.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-12. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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