John Greenleaf Whittier: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

The Healer

John Greenleaf Whittier

“The Healer” as printed in The Complete Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier (1895).

John Greenleaf Whittier: Collected Lyrics Text 167 1895 · historical text
Public domainBalladAmerican song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Complete Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

So stood of old the holy Christ

Amidst the suffering throng;

With whom His lightest touch sufficed

To make the weakest strong.

Verse 2

That healing gift He lends to them

Who use it in His name;

The power that filled His garment’s hem

Is evermore the same.

For lo! in human hearts unseen

The Healer dwelleth still,

And they who make His temples clean

The best subserve His will.

The holiest task by Heaven decreed,

An errand all divine,

The burden of our common need

To render less is thine.

The paths of pain are thine. Go forth

With patience, trust, and hope;

The sufferings of a sin-sick earth

Shall give thee ample scope.

Beside the unveiled mysteries

Of life and death go stand,

With guarded lips and reverent eyes

And pure of heart and hand.

So shalt thou be with power endued

From Him who went about

The Syrian hillsides doing good,

And casting demons out.

That Good Physician liveth yet

Thy friend and guide to be;

The Healer by Gennesaret

Shall walk the rounds with thee.

Credits

Written by John Greenleaf Whittier

Words by John Greenleaf Whittier. Historical text published in The Complete Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier (1895); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Complete Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier (1895), “The Healer”

Every text in this 1895 collected edition is by John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892), who died more than 133 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination.

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 2026-10-27. 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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