Scripture Verse

He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Isaiah 2:4

Introduction

Words: Will­iam P. Mc­Ken­zie, in Truth in Song (Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Cla­ra H. Scott, 1896), num­ber 47.

Music: Da­kar Ward Rock­well, 1896 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Mc­Ken­zie or Rock­well (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Lo, an ar­my is ad­vanc­ing,
Not with beat of throb­bing drum,
Not with ban­ners proud­ly wav­ing
Do the hap­py my­ri­ads come,
But their hearts a-throb with lov­ing,
Eyes with love that shine sin­cere,
And they sing aloud in an­them
That the rule of peace is here,
Swords are beat­en in­to plough shares,
Into prun­ing hooks the spear.

Even now the light-spires daz­zle
And the note of hope is heard,
Man is learn­ing God’s new lang­uage,
Building let­ters to a word;
And the coun­cils men have dark­ened
Come like jew­els flash­ing bright
As he trusts the voice with­in him,
And the Spir­it gives him sight;
And the pro­mise nears ful­fill­ment,
That the world shall see the light.

Ye who hold each man a bro­ther,
For the bro­ther love of Christ,
Who with clear eyed pu­ri­ty do
Keep in heart a dai­ly tryst,
Let me grasp the hand fra­ter­nal,
One in love and ser­vice we,
Now, as in a mir­ror dark­ly,
Face to face we yet shall see.
Fellow work­ers with the Fa­ther,
Let us fel­low help­ers be!