Lead us, O Father, in the paths of peace

Lead us, O Father, in the paths of peace. William H. Burleigh* (1812-1871). Published in Lyra Sacra Americana: or, Gems from American Sacred Poetry (New York, 1868), edited by Charles Dexter Cleveland*, with the title ‘A Prayer for Guidance’. It was brought to Britain by W. Garrett Horder*, and is found in Worship-Song (1905). It was a very popular hymn on both sides of the Atlantic in the first half of the 20th century, and is still found in H82 and in Rejoice in the Lord* (1985). It is particularly notable for its description of youth and age in stanza 2: Lead us, O Father, in the paths of truth;Unhelped by Thee, in error’s maze we grope,While passion stains, and folly dims our youth,And...