Father eternal, ruler of creation

Father eternal, ruler of creation. Laurence Housman* (1865-1959).

This hymn was written in 1919 at the request of the vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, H.R.L. (‘Dick’) Sheppard, to be sung at a meeting of the Life and Liberty Movement (the movement was founded by Sheppard in 1917 to press for the Church of England to be given more control over its own affairs). After the passage of the Church Assembly (Powers) Act in 1919, the movement petered out, since its primary object had been achievedHousman and Sheppard became good friends, and after Sheppard’s death in 1937, Housman published their correspondence under the title What Can We Believe? (1939).

This hymn reflects their shared pacifist views following the Great War of 1914-18. It addresses the problem of reconstructing the international order, and calls for a radical change of heart by peoples and nations:

Father eternal, ruler of creation,
  Spirit of life, which moved ere form was made,
Through the thick darkness covering every nation,
  Light to man's blindness, O be Thou our aid:
    Thy kingdom come, O Lord, Thy will be done.

Races and peoples, lo! we stand divided,
  And, sharing not our griefs, no joy can share;
By wars and tumults love is mocked, derided,
  His conquering cross no kingdom wills to bear:
    Thy kingdom come, O Lord, Thy will be done.

Envious of heart, blind-eyed, with tongues confounded,
  Nation by nation still goes unforgiven,
In wrath and fear, by jealousies surrounded,
  Building proud towers which shall not reach to heaven:
    Thy kingdom come, O :Lord, Thy will be done.

Lust of possession worketh desolations;
  There is no meekness in the sons of earth;
Led by no star, the rulers of the nations
  Still fail to bring us to the blissful birth:
    Thy kingdom come, O Lord, Thy will be done.

How shall we love Thee, holy hidden being,
  If we love not the world which Thou hast made?
O give us brother-love for better seeing 
  Thy word made flesh, and in a manger laid:
    Thy kingdom come, O Lord, Thy will be done.

Its severe honesty about the destructiveness of war gained it a place in SofP and RCH, and it has continued to appear in more recent books such as WOV and (in the ‘you’ form) in RS and the Scottish CH4.

It is found in many books in the USA. It was chosen by H. Augustine Smith* for The New Hymnal for American Youth (New York, 1930) and by Donald P.Hustad* for Hymns for the Living Church (Carol Stream, Illinois, 1974). It was included in H40 and H82, and Erik Routley*’s Rejoice in the Lord (Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1985).

Sheila Doyle