Souls of men! why will ye scatter

Souls of men! why will ye scatter. Frederick William Faber* (1814-1863). First published in eight verses in Oratory Hymns (1854), and expanded in Faber’s Hymns (1862) to thirteen verses, with the title ‘Come to Jesus’. It is frequently shortened, and the order of verses is different in many books. The most common opening in modern books is now Faber’s verse 4, beginning ‘There’s a wideness in God’s mercy’*. This not only avoids the non-inclusive language of the original opening line, but has the merit of shortening a lengthy hymn. The other verses most frequently omitted are verses 3, 11, and 12 of the 1862 text: It is God; His love looks mighty, But is mightier than it seems: ’Tis our...