Hymnary Wisdom

I've begun a new tradition while living here at camp. Several, really, but some of them I expect will fade as summer turns to fall. But this one, I hope, will persist.

While perusing the shelves in our local Sally Ann this week, I picked up a gem of a book. The cover is smoothed from holding, the pages have yellowed at the edges with age and it has the marvelous smell of history, rightfully earned over the past eighty-two years. It is a beautiful thing, this Hymnary, but it is the words arranged on each page that are capturing my thoughts.

Here is one hymn as a sampling, written by a man called Edward Cooper (1770-1833):

"Father of heav'n, whose love profound
A ransom for our souls hath found,
Before Thy throne we sinners bend;
To us Thy pard'ning love extend.

Almighty Son, incarnate Word,
Our Prophet, Priest, Redeemer, Lord,
Before Thy throne we sinners bend;
To us Thy saving grace extend.

Eternal Spirit, by whose breath
The soul is raised from sin and death,
Before Thy throne we sinners bend;
To us Thy quickening power extend.

Thrice holy—Father, Spirit, Son;
Mysterious Godhead, Three in One,
Before Thy throne we sinners bend;
Grace, pardon, life to us extend."

My goal is to read one every night, to reset my perspective before my ritual rendezvous with my bed and pillow. Pardoning love, saving grace, quickening power. The gospel in six words. I have so much to learn.