Prayer for God's Heritage by Arthur W. Spaulding

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Dec 25, 1913

Prayer for God's Heritage

By Arthur W. Spaulding

ARTHUR W. SPAULDING

GRACIOUS Lord, before thy throne We our sinful courses own, At thine altar cast us prone. We are children of the clod: Yet thou wouldst not see us thus; And because thou lovest us, Spare thine heritage, O God.

We, our children, and our sires Have fulfilled our base desires. Now, before thine altar-fires, Stricken by thy warning rod, Sorrowful in mind and soul, We would yield to thy control: Spare thy people, O our God.

Though we merit naught of grace, Though our sins do hide thy face, From the guiltless of our race, From our children, spare thy rod. Children are thine heritage; And from all thy righteous rage Spare our children, gracious God.

They have followed where we led When we spurned thee that hadst plead; Thus we doomed them with the dead. But by thine all-saving blood, They are ransomed from the slain, They may live to thee again. Spare them as thine own, O God.

We would weep for them, and pray, On this thy brief judgment-day, That thine hand of doom may stay. We who long thy courts have trod,— Priests astray mid loyal show,— Pensive, pray with hearts bowed low: Spare thine heritage, O God.

Hendersonville, N. C.