THE WHITE FRAME CHURCH

When e'er I hear the church bells ring
On a quiet Sabbath morn,
My thoughts go drifting back again
To the land where I was born.

Again I see that white frame church
With tombstones standing near,
And every Sabbath day the bell,
Would call the folks to prayer.

Some worshipers they lived close by,
And others far away;
The men folk they would meet and chat,
And then go in to pray.

'Twas there the children small were blest,
And marriage vows were said;
And in that plot with grass so green
We laid away our dead.

Each household had their family pew,
And every day of rest;
All would be seated in their place
Clad in their Sunday's best.

There was no choir in that old church,
But all knew how to sing,
And when they sang these good old hymns
They made the rafters ring.

I loved to go to that old church
To join in prayer and praise;
These memories will forever stay
With me through all my days.

And when the chimes of Sabbath bells
Comes floating through the air,
My thoughts go back to that old church
With tombstones standing near.

Photo: Anglican Church on Gin Cove head

HARVEST THANKSGIVING HYMN

Creator of this earth below
We come to Thee our vows to pay,
May each and every heart o'er flow
With thankfulness this festal day.

Father accept the thanks we give
To Thee for all Thy love and care,
For this fair land in which we live,
And all earth's blessings that we share.

All comes from Thee at Thy command,
The early and the latter rain;
Thy bounteous goodness fills the land
With waving fields of ripening grain.

Lord of the harvest by whose hand
Thy children day by day are fed,
Enrich the poor in every land,
Give them each day their daily bread.

O Thou from whom all goodness flow
Help us to choose that better part,
Grant that in each of us may grow
The gift of love in every heart.

O may this fair Dominion be
Kept free from famine, war and stress,
And may there rise from sea to sea
Glad songs of praise and thankfulness.

This hymn was sung in St. Chad's Church, Harvest Thanksgiving Sunday, October 3, 1943

HYMN OF PRAISE

Come, let us join in songs of praise,
With one accord our voices raise,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice,
And let all thankful hearts rejoice.

O may we all on this glad day,
With grateful hearts our homage pay
Unto our God who rules on high,
For all the blessings we enjoy.

We thank Thee for past mercies, Lord;
For strength renewed, and health restored,
And for all gifts Thyself bestow
On us They creatures here below.

We thank Thee for Thy love and care,
And all the earthly joys we share;
O make us worthy of that love,
And fit us for Thy home above.

There with that great triumphant throng,
We too, may learn the heavenly song,
And join with angels as they sing
Glad songs of praise to Christ our King.

Sung in St. Chad's Anglican Church, Toronto, on July 27, 1941