Words: Fred­er­ick Ed­wards, 1906.

Music: Pax Ver­i­ta­tis, , 1918.


God of the nations, who hast led
Thy children since the world began,
Through doubt and struggle, pain and tears,
Unfolding Thy eternal plan;
From countless hilltops as of old
The fire upon the altar flares;
Through countless rites, in countless tongues,
Men offer their imperfect prayers;
Hasten the time of our release,
Bring in Thy reign of truth and peace.

O Jesus Christ, incarnate Son,
Who bore our flesh that men might see
The vision of the perfect life
Fashioned in their humanity;
By all Thy words of heavenly truth,
By all Thy deeds of mercy wrought,
By all the passion of Thy cross,
By the redemption Thou hast brought;
Hasten the time of our release,
Bring in Thy reign of truth and peace.

O Holy Spirit, who dost touch
The prophets with Thy sacred fire
Eternal wisdom to whose light
All seekers after truth aspire;
Behold the warring sons of men,
The helpless by the strong oppressed,
The truth with error still concealed,
The evil grudgingly confessed;
Hasten the time of our release,
Bring in Thy reign of truth and peace.

O God triune, Thy Church today
In penitence before Thee kneels
Mourning her years of slothful ease,
Her deafness to the world’s appeals;
Divided where she should be one,
Enamored of a lesser strife,
Tithing the mint and cumin while
Men perish for the Bread of Life;
Hasten the time of our release,
Bring in Thy reign of truth and peace.

Restore to us the vision, Lord,
Descend with fires of Pentecost;
Our tongues unloose, our hearts inflame,
To preach the Gospel to the lost:
Here at Thy feet our prayer is made,
Here life and wealth we dedicate;
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done,
Lord, Thy anointing we await;
Hasten the time of our release,
Bring in Thy reign of truth and peace.