Sunday, June 15, 2008

Morning glory - a short thank you to W H Vanstone

We sang this at Church in the Valley this morning, - surely some of the most beautiful words ever written about God's love and God's suffering. I'm always sad that it isn't more widely known, so am taking a deep breath, and possibly infringing copyright simply because I want to share it.
The words come as the close of Vanstone's brilliant book Love's Endeavour, Love's Expense.
If you don't know it, it's time to visit amazon.


A HYMN TO THE CREATOR

by William H. Vanstone

Morning glory, starlit sky,
Leaves in springtime, swallows' flight,
Autumn gales, tremendous seas,
Sounds and scents of summer night;

Soaring music, tow'ring words,
Art's perfection, scholar's truth,
Joy supreme of human love,
Memory's treasure, grace of youth;

Open, Lord, are these, Thy gifts,
Gifts of love to mind and sense;
Hidden is love's agony,
Love's endeavour, love's expense.

Love that gives gives ever more,
Gives with zeal, with eager hands,
Spares not, keeps not, all outpours,
Ventures all, its all expends.

Drained is love in making full;
Bound in setting others free;
Poor in making many rich;
Weak in giving power to be.

Therefore He Who Thee reveals
Hangs, O Father, on that Tree
Helpless; and the nails and thorns
Tell of what Thy love must be.

Thou are God; no monarch Thou
Thron'd in easy state to reign;
Thou art God, Whose arms of love
Aching, spent, the world sustain.

6 comments:

liturgy said...

Thanks for this reflection and site.
Please visit Liturgy
There’s even a video of mine you may be interested in embedding.
Blessings

Karen Sapio said...

What tune do you use with this?

theMuddledMarketPlace said...

That's my question too!
...and I so agree, that book is utter gold.

Crimson Rambler said...

I want to ask about the tune, also! I know some of Vanstone's writing, but not this ... thank you, Kathryn!

Unknown said...

We sing this to Song 13- Orlando Gibbons (No 544 in Ancient and Modern. It's a 77 77 time and goes very well.
Gillian Humphries

Unknown said...

We sing this to Song 13, Orlando Gibbons It's a 77 77 metre and goes very well. You'll find the tune 544 in Hymns Ancient and Modern. Hope this helps.