At a central Wellington Presbyterian Church yesterday we sang the hymn “Almighty Father of all things that be”, but we missed out two verses. I wondered why. The hymn goes:<\/p>\n
Almighty Father of all things that be,
\nour life, our work, we consecrate to thee,
\nwhose heavens declare thy glory from above,
\nwhose earth below is witness to thy love.<\/p>\nFor well we know this weary, soiled earth
\nis yet thine own by right of its new birth,
\nsince that great cross upreared on Calvary
\nredeemed it from its fault and shame to thee.<\/p>\nThine still the changeful beauty of the hills,<\/strong>
\n the purple valleys flecked with silver rills,<\/strong>
\n the ocean glistening ‘neath the golden rays;<\/strong>
\n they all are thine, and voiceless speak thy praise.<\/strong><\/p>\nThou dost the strength to workman’s arm impart;<\/strong>
\n from thee the skilled musician’ mystic art,<\/strong>
\n the grace of poet’s pen or painter’s hand,<\/strong>
\n to teach the loveliness of sea and land.<\/strong><\/p>\nThen grant us, Lord, in all things thee to own,
\nto dwell within the shadow of thy throne,
\nto speak and work, to think, and live, and move,
\nreflecting thine own nature, which is love:<\/p>\nthat so, by Christ redeemed from sin and shame,
\nand hallowed by thy Spirit’s cleansing flame,
\nourselves, our work, and all our powers may be
\na sacrifice acceptable to thee.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n