Scripture Verse

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

Introduction

Words: Gil­bert Y. Tick­le, in the New Chris­tian Hymn and Tune Book, ed­it­ed by James H. Fill­more (Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio: Fill­more Bro­thers, 1882).

Music: Fran­co­nia (Kö­nig), Har­mo­nisch­er Lied­er-Schatz, by Jo­hann B. Kö­nig (Frank­furt, Ger­ma­ny: 1738). Har­mo­nized in Old Church Psal­mo­dy, by Will­iam H. Ha­ver­gal, 1847 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Tic­kle or Kö­nig (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Lord of our high­est love!
Let now Thy peace be giv’n;
Fix all our thoughts on things above,
Our hearts on Thee in Heav’n.

Then, dear­est Lord, draw near,
Whilst we Thy ta­ble spread;
And crown the feast with heav’n­ly cheer,
Thyself the liv­ing bread.

And when the loaf we break,
Thine own rich bless­ing give,
May all with lov­ing hearts par­take
And all new strength re­ceive.

Dear Lord! what me­mo­ries crowd
Around the sac­red cup!
The up­per room! Geth­se­ma­ne!
Thy foes! Thy lift­ing up!

O scenes of suf­fer­ing love,
Enough our souls to win—
Enough to melt our hearts and prove
The an­ti­dote of sin.