When Stephen, full of power and grace

When Stephen, full of power and grace. Jan Struther* (1901-53). Written for SofPE, for St Stephen’s Day (26 December). It is a vivid hymn about the martyrdom of St Stephen, in which he appears as an unarmed knight, without sword or shield, going out to do battle against evil: When Stephen, full of power and grace,  Went forth throughout the land,He bore no shield before his face,  No weapon in his hand;But only in his heart a flame  And on his lips a swordWherewith he smote and overcame  The foemen of the Lord. When Stephen preached against the laws  And by those laws was tried,He had no friend to plead his cause,  No spokesman at his side;But only in his heart a flame  And in his eyes a...

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