O Father, all creating

Representative Text

1 O Father, all-creating,
Whose wisdom, love, and pow'r
First bound two lives together
In Eden's primal hour,
To these who come before you,
Your earliest gifts renew:
A home by you made happy,
A love by you kept true.

2 O Savior, guest in Cana
Of old in Galilee,
May these who ask your blessing
Your loving presence see.
Their store of earthly gladness
Transform to heav'nly wine,
And teach them, in the testing,
To know your gift divine.

3 O Spirit of the Father,
Breathe on them from above,
So mighty in your pureness,
So tender in your love;
That, guarded by your presence,
From sin and strife kept free,
Their hearts may seek your guidance,
And love you faithfully.

4 Unless you build it, Father,
The house is built in vain;
Unless you bless it, Savior,
The joy will turn to pain;
But none can break the union
Of hearts in you made one;
The love your Spirit blesses
Is endless love begun.

Source: Journeysongs (3rd ed.) #544

Author: John Ellerton

John Ellerton (b. London, England, 1826; d. Torquay, Devonshire, England, 1893) Educated at King William's College on the Isle of Man and at Trinity College, Cambridge, England, he was ordained in the Church of England in 1851. He served six parishes, spending the longest time in Crewe Green (1860-1872), a church of steelworkers and farmers. Ellerton wrote and translated about eighty hymns, many of which are still sung today. He helped to compile Church Hymns and wrote its handbook, Notes and Illustrations to Church Hymns (1882). Some of his other hymn texts were published in The London Mission Hymn Book (1884). Bert Polman… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: O Father, all creating, Whose wisdom, love, and power
Title: O Father, all creating
Author: John Ellerton (1876)
Meter: 7.6.7.6 D
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

AURELIA

Composed by Samuel S. Wesley (PHH 206), AURELIA (meaning "golden") was published as a setting for “Jerusalem the Golden” in Selection of Psalms and Hymns, which was compiled by Charles Kemble and Wesley in 1864. Though opinions vary concerning the tune's merits (Henry J. Gauntlett once condemned…

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Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #4791
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
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Instances

Instances (1 - 8 of 8)
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CPWI Hymnal #680

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Journeysongs (3rd ed.) #544

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Lutheran Service Book #858

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Lutheran Worship #251

Text

Revival Hymns and Choruses #475

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #4791

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The Irish Presbyterian Hymnbook #578

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Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #721

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Worship (3rd ed.) #744

Include 37 pre-1979 instances
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