O Young and Fearless Prophet

O young and fear­less Pro­phet

Of an­cient Ga­li­lee

Thy life is still a sum­mons

To serve hu­man­ity;

To make our thoughts and act­ions

Less prone to please the crowd

To stand with hum­ble cour­age

For truth with hearts un­cowed.

We mar­vel at the pur­pose

That held Thee to Thy course

While ev­er on the hill­top

Before Thee loomed the cross;

Thy stead­fast face set for­ward

Where love and du­ty shone

While we be­tray so quick­ly

And leave Thee there alone.

O help us stand un­swerv­ing

Against war’s bloody way

Where hate and lust and false­hood

Hold back Christ’s ho­ly sway;

Forbid false love of coun­try

That blinds us to His call

Who lifts ab­ove the na­tions

The uni­ty of all.

Stir up in us a pro­test

Against our greed for wealth

While oth­ers starve and hun­ger

And plead for work and health;

Where homes with lit­tle child­ren

Cry out for lack of bread

Who live their years sore bur­dened

Beneath a gloomy dread.

Create in us the splen­dor

That dawns when hearts are kind

That knows not race nor sta­tion

As boun­da­ries of the mind;

That learns to val­ue beau­ty

In heart

or brain

or soul

And longs to bind God’s child­ren

Into one per­fect whole.

O young and fear­less Pro­phet

We need Thy pre­sence here

Amid our pride and glo­ry

To see Thy face ap­pear;

Once more to hear Thy chal­lenge

Above our noi­sy day

Again to lead us for­ward

Along God’s ho­ly way.