O Thou Who Gavest Power to Love

O Thou who gavest pow­er to love

That we might fix our hearts on Thee

Preparing us for joys above

By that which here on earth we see:

Thy Spir­it trains our souls to know

The grow­ing pur­pose of Thy will

And gives to love the pow­er to show

That pur­pose grow­ing larg­er still;

Larger

as love to rev­er­ent eyes

Makes ma­ni­fest an­oth­er soul

And shows to life a rich­er prize

A clear­er course

a nob­ler goal.

Lord

grant Thy serv­ants who imp­lore

Thy bless­ing on the hearts they blend

That from that un­ion ev­er­more

New joys may blos­som to the end.

Make what is best in each com­bine

To purge all earth­ly dross away

To strength­en

pu­ri­fy

re­fine

To beau­ti­fy each com­ing day.

So may they hand in hand ad­vance

Along life’s path from trou­bles free;

Brave to meet ad­verse cir­cum­stance

Because their love points up to Thee.