Father, whose will is life and good
Father, whose will is life and good. Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley* (1851-1920).
This hymn for medical missions, first published in A Missionary Hymn Book (1922), exists in three distinct versions. The original text asks a blessing on the work of medical missionaries, described in stanza two as ‘friends in lands afar’, who bring the love of Christ to the suffering. It appears in this form in RCH and several later hymnals. In other collections, such as BHB (1962), a substitute stanza 4 is used, emphasising that healing takes place through ‘the doctor’s love and skill’:
For Christ the Lord can now employ As agents of His will,Restoring strength and health and joy, The doctor’s love and skill...
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MLA style (see MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing, 3rd Ed.)
. "Father, whose will is life and good."
The Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology. Canterbury Press. Web. 15 Feb. 2026.<
http://www.hymnology.co.uk/f/father,-whose-will-is-life-and-good>.
Chicago style (see The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Ed.)
. "Father, whose will is life and good."
The Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology. Canterbury Press, accessed February 15, 2026,
http://www.hymnology.co.uk/f/father,-whose-will-is-life-and-good.