Scripture Verse

To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge. 1 Corinthians 12:8

Introduction

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Alexander R. Reinagle (1799–1877)

Words: Charles Kings­ley, 1871. Kings­ley wrote these words when asked to com­pose a hymn that would be sung by a thou­sand-voice choir at a ce­re­mo­ny to lay the cor­ner­stone for a new block at Queen’s Hos­pi­tal in Birm­ing­ham, Eng­land (see orig­in­al lead­ing vers­es at end of this page).

Music: St. Pe­ter (Rei­na­gle) Al­ex­an­der R. Rein­agle, 1836 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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Charles Kingsley (1819–1875)
National Portrait Gallery

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Lyrics

From Thee all skill and sci­ence flow,
All pi­ty, care and love,
All calm and cour­age, faith and hope;
O pour them from above.

And part them, Lord, to each and all,
As each and all shall need,
To rise, like in­cense, each to Thee,
In no­ble thought and deed.

And hast­en, Lord, that per­fect day
When pain and death shall cease;
And Thy just rule shall fill the earth
With health, and light, and peace.

When ev­er blue the sky shall gleam,
And ev­er green the sod;
And man’s rude work de­face no more
The pa­ra­dise of God.

The orig­in­al ver­sion of this hymn started with these vers­es:

Accept this build­ing, gra­cious Lord,
No tem­ple though it be;
We raised it for our suf­fer­ing kin,
And so, good Lord, for Thee.

Accept our lit­tle gift, and give,
To all who may here dwell,
The will and pow­er to do their work,
Or bear their sor­rows well.