<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">Litany in War-Time.</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">Now</span> that the heavens are opened,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Now that the call has come,</p><p class="line">Now that Hell's driven legions</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Strike the old voices dumb;</p><p class="line">Now that Thy hand is upon us,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Now that our trial begins,</p><p class="line">Lord God of love as of battles --</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Lord, forgive us our sins!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The naked we have not clothèd,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The hungry we have not fed,</p><p class="line">The women degraded and outcast,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The children crying for bread!</p><p class="line">Vanity, sloth and falsehood,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Luxury, greed and fear,</p><p class="line">Help, Lord, to cast them behind us,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Now that Thy Word is clear.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Set not our blindness before Thee!</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Open our eyes to see --</p><p class="line">To see in this darkness the glory</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Of Thy great peace to be!</p><p class="line">If for our sins we must perish,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Grant us the grace, Most High --</p><p class="line">If for our sins we must perish, --</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Yet for this cause to die!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">High above fears and chances</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Our England that is to be!</p><p class="line">Peace upon earth, goodwill among men,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Justice and Liberty.</p><p class="line">High in the raging storm-wind</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The banner of England streams:</p><p class="line">England! our city of heart's desire,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The England of our dreams.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Thou wilt not fail that England,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Living, or dying we know.</p><p class="line">Lord, we have nothing to fear from mischance,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Nothing to fear from the foe:</p><p class="line">Wrapped in their own desolation,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">By terror and death bestrid;</p><p class="line">Lord, in that hour have mercy on them</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Who knew not what they did.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Now that the heavens are opened,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Now that the trump is blown,</p><p class="line">Lord, Thou wilt search the nations,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Lord, Thou wilt know Thine own!</p><p class="line">High in the raging storm-wind</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The banner of England streams:</p><p class="line">England! our city of heart's desire,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The England of our dreams!</p></div><p class="byline">J. W. ALLEN.<br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/></p></body></html> · Great War