School Hymn, Anthem & Prayer
BLESS THIS HOUSE
The origin: "Bless This House" is a song published in 1927. The words were written by an English woman Helen Taylor, under the original title "Bless the House." The music was composed by an Australian - May Brahe, a friend of Taylor's.
This song is strongly associated with “Thanksgiving “and is often sung by congregations around the world. It is frequently found in spiritual /inspirational collections, as well as in many Hymnals. It was a favourite of the World War 2 soldiers and also impacted the thanksgiving of the 9/11 hero’s
Bless this house, O lord we pray,
Make it safe by night and day;
Bless these walls so firm and stout
Keeping want and trouble out;
Bless the roof and chimneys tall,
Let thy peace lie over all;
Bless this door that it may prove
Ever open to joy and love
Bless these windows shining bright,
Letting in God’s heavenly light
Bless the hearth a blazing there,
With smoke ascending like a prayer;
Bless these windows shining bright,
Letting in God’s heavenly light;
Bless the hearth a blazing there,
With smoke ascending like a prayer;
Bless the people here within,
Keep them pure and free from sin;
Bless us all that we may be
Fit, O lord to dwell with thee,
Bless us all that we one day
SCHOOL HYMN
“A Strong message of assurance, promise and hope”
OH GOD OUR HELP IN AGES PAST
The hymn O God, our help in ages past was composed by Isaac Watts early in the eighteenth century. Watts was the son of a Dissenter - a person at odds with the Church of England - who was in prison for his beliefs at the time of his son's birth. Isaac is known as the Father of English Hymnody, composing well over 600 hymns, including 'Jesus shall reign where'er the sun' and 'When I survey the wondrous cross', in his lifetime.
So well-loved is the hymn that many consider it a second national anthem and a very fitting hymn to sing each November in the United Kingdom. Watts originally wrote nine verses but we only sing six today. What endears it to so many, with its echoes of Psalm 90, is its strong message of assurance, promise and hope: assurance in the words 'From everlasting you are God to endless years the same'; promise in the words 'Our shelter from the stormy blast and our eternal home'; and hope in the words 'O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come'.
Time has always been an important theme in poetry and hymn right down the ages have contrasted the timelessness of God with mankind's short span on earth: 'A thousand ages in your sight are like an evening gone'. And in verse five we have the beautiful image of time 'like an ever-rolling stream ' bearing all its sons away. The word sons brings to mind all those who went off to war in Europe and Asia and never came home. God surely is 'our defence while life shall last, and our eternal home'.
- Peter Lewis
THE HYMN
Oh God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to comes,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And out eternal home!
Beneath the shadow of thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is thine arm alone.
And our defence is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting thou art God,
To endless years the same.
A thousand ages, in thy sight,
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night,
Before the rising sun.
Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away,
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come;
Be thou our guide while life shall last,
And our eternal home!
FOUNDER’S DAY HYMN
ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLIDERS
The origin: "Onward, Christian Soldiers" is a 19th-century English hymn. The words were written by Sabine Baring-Gould in 1865, and the music was composed by Arthur Sullivan in 1871.The army adopted the hymn as its favoured processional hymn The hymn's theme is taken from references in the New Testament to the Christian being a soldier for Christ,
1. Onward Christian soldiers! Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before,
Christ the Royal Master, Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle, see His banners go!
Refrain: Onward Christian soldiers! Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before,
2. Like a mighty army, moves the Church of God,
Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod;
We are not divided, all one body we,
One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.
Refrain: Onward Christian soldiers! Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before,
3. Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane
But the Church of Jesus, Constant will remain;
Gates of hell can never, 'gains' that Church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise and that cannot fail.
Refrain: Onward Christian soldiers! Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before,
4. Onward, then, ye people join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices, in the triumph song;
Glory, laud and honour, unto Christ the King;
This through countless ages, men and angels sing.
Refrain: Onward Christian soldiers! Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before,
Amen