Hymn Study: Rise Up O Men of God

We sang this hymn this morning in a wee little church about an hour from home.   Hubby was guest preaching there.   When I say wee tiny.. I mean like FIVE members!!!  It amazes me that this church is able to keep going eh?    No organist... so I think when we go back in a month that I'll start each hymn off just so we know what we're singing a bit better.  :)   I'm not a great pianist...but I can get us started off.  :)

Rise up o men of God was written by William Pierson Merrill. An American pastor, originally from New Jersey, he served in Chicago and New York.  Merrill became the first president of the "Church Peace Union", a pacifist organization. His 1914 sermon titled "The Making of Peace" was hailed by Andrew Carnegie as "...one of the greatest sermons on peace that he had ever heard."

He was not a prolific hymn writer (he's known for four hymns) and had written a few articles as well.   You can find them listed here.   There's really not a whole lot known about him, but I do like this hymn that he wrote.  Comes with two different tunes, we sing it to St.Thomas, but I really liked this one below, even if they didn't sing the whole song.

Lyrics

1. Rise up, O men of God!
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
to serve the King of kings.

2. Rise up, O men of God!
The kingdom tarries long.
Bring in the day of brotherhood
and end the night of wrong.

3. Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you doth wait,
her strength unequal to her task;
rise up, and make her great!

4. Lift high the cross of Christ!
Tread where his feet have trod.
As brothers of the Son of Man,
rise up, O men of God!

 

This tune below is the one that I know the hymn too.

 

 

this one also caught my eye (well my ear actually). :)
I hope you like it!

 

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