O Lord, our father,
Our young patriots, idols of our hearts,
Go forth to battle - be Thou near them!
With them, in spirit, we also go
From the sweet peace of our beloved firesides To smite the foe.
O Lord, our God,
Help us to tear their
To bloody shreds with our shells;
Help us to cover their smiling
With the pale forms of their patriot dead;
Help us to drown the thunder ofthe guns With the shrieks of their wounded,
Writhing in pain.
Help us to lay waste their humble
With a hurricane of fire;
Help us to wring the hearts of
Unoffending widows with unavailing grief;
Help us to turn them out
With their little children to wander unfriended The wastes of theirdesolated
In rags and hunger and thirst,
Sports of the sun flames of
And the icy winds of winter,
Burdened in spirit, worn with travail,
Imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it - For our sakes who adore Thee,
Lord,
Blast their hopes,
Blight their lives,
Protract their bitter pilgrimage,
Make heavy their steps,
Water their way with their tears,
Stain the white snow with the
Of their wounded feet!
We ask it in the spirit of love -Of Him who is the source of love,
And Who is the
Refuge and Friend of all that are sore beset And seek His aid with humbleand contrite hearts.
Amen
