Words: , 1924:

The in­spir­a­tion came to him on No­vem­ber 21, 1924, short­ly af­ter a Com­mun­ion ser­vice in the Se­cond Pres­by­ter­ian Church, of Phil­a­del­phia [Penn­syl­van­ia], which he at­tend­ed. Three stan­zas were the re­sult. Be­fore per­mit­ting their use, how­ev­er, he con­sult­ed two friends, one of whom was Hen­ry Sloane Cof­fin, D.D., then pas­tor of the Ma­di­son Av­e­nue Pres­by­ter­ian Church, of New York Ci­ty. In the qui­et of Dr. Be­nson’s stu­dy the hymn was read and dis­cussed. Dr. Cof­fin was de­light­ed, but sug­gest­ed that a fourth stan­za should be add­ed. To this sug­gest­ion the au­thor ac­ced­ed. Where­up­on Dr. Cof­fin asked to print the hymn in his church cal­en­dar, through the chan­nels of which it was first used.

Music: Agape, (1822-1883). Al­ter­nate tune:

  • Peterson, , 1921

If you know when the mu­sic was writ­ten, or where to get a pho­to of Charles Dick­in­son

For the bread, which Thou hast broken;
For the wine, which Thou hast poured;
For the words, which Thou hast spoken—
Now we give Thee thanks, O Lord.

By this pledge that Thou dost love us,
By Thy gift of peace restored,
By Thy call to Heaven above us,
Hallow all our lives, O Lord.

With our sainted ones in glory,
Seated at our Father’s board,
May the Church that waiteth for Thee
Keep love’s tie unbroken, Lord.

In Thy service, Lord, defend us,
In our hearts keep watch and ward;
In the world where Thou dost send us
Let Thy kingdom come, O Lord.