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Hymn
For the Opening of Thomas Starr King's House of Worship, 1864.
The poetic and patriotic preacher, who had won fame in the East, went to California in 1860 and became a power on the Pacific coast. It was not long after the opening of the house of worship built for him that he died.amidst these glorious works of Thine,
The solemn minarets of the pine,
And awful Shasta's icy shrine,—
Where swell Thy hymns from wave and gale,
And organ-thunders never fail,
Behind the cataract's silver veil,—
Our puny walls to Thee we raise,
Our poor reed-music sounds Thy praise:
Forgive, O Lord, our childish ways!
For, kneeling on these altar-stairs,
We urge Thee not with selfish prayers,
Nor murmur at our daily cares.
Before Thee, in an evil day,
Our country's bleeding heart we lay,
And dare not ask Thy hand to stay;
But, through the war-cloud, pray to Thee
For union, but a union free,
With peace that comes of purity!
