The Wartburg Hymnal

At a garage sale awhile back I purchased an old tattered "Wartburg Hymnal". Its preface is by the compiler, O. Hardwig, of Waverly, Iowa, dated July 1918. Maybe this hymnal was published by or for Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. There seems to be a Lutheran order of service in the front, and services for Sunday School and Young People's Societies, along with Scripture lessons and Psalms. Wartburg College is operated by the ELCA, the nowadays more liberal branch of the Lutheran tree. The campus is lovely, and I've attended many concerts in the Wartburg Chapel and Neumann Auditorium.

Here is hymn number 40 from this "Wartburg Hymnal". Words are by F. T. Palgrave and the tune is "Hesperus" by Henry Baker.

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Verse 1:

Lord God of morning and of night,

We thank Thee for Thy gift of light;

As in the dawn the shadows fly,

We seem to find Thee now more nigh.

Verse 2:

Fresh hopes have wakened in the heart,

Fresh force to do our daily part;

Thy thousand sleeps our strength restore,

A thousand fold to serve Thee more.

Verse 3:

O Lord of lights, 'tis Thou alone

Canst make our darkened hearts Thine own;

O then be with us, Lord, that we

In Thy great day may wake to Thee.

Verse 4:

Praise God, our Maker and our Friend;

Praise Him through time, till time shall end;

Till psalm and song His name adore

Through heaven's great day of evermore.

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