For All The Saints–Even Questionable Ones!

It’s odd how tunes get stuck in your head. I’ve been humming this one on and off since we sung it recently [the original has about 13 verses] It always reminds me of assembly at my grammar school!

For all the saints, who from their labours rest,

Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,

Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;

Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;

Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,

Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,

And win with them the victor’s crown of gold.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,

Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,

And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

The golden evening brightens in the west;

Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;

Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,

Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,

And singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost:

Alleluia, Alleluia!

Yesterday was our Church Awayday, and it was really good to spend time with many of the saints from our fellowship, as we looked together at “Worship” and what it means for us.

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Palladius. He was Bishop of Saintes in western France and died in AD 590. I couldn’t find a picture of him anywhere [there are actually three St P’s!] only this very sad comment;

“Bishop of Saintes from 570. His sainthood is questionable.”