The Riverside song book/Our Country

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John Greenleaf Whittier. Arr. from Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy.

Maestoso.

1. We give thy natal day to hope, O country of our love and prayer!

Thy way is down no fatal slope, But up to freer sun and air.

The fathers sleep, but men remain, As wise, as true, and brave as they;

Why count the loss and not the gain? The best is that we have today, the best is that we have today.

O Land of lands! to thee we give Our prayers, our hopes, our service free;

For thee thy sons shall nobly live, And at thy need shall die for thee!

2. Thy pledge of freedom moves the world, And all who hear it turn to thee,

And read upon thy flag unfurled The prophecies of destiny.

Thy great world-lesson all shall learn, The nations in thy school shall sit,

Earth's farthest mountain-tops shall burn With watch-fires from thy own up-lit.

O Land of lands! to thee we give Our prayers, our hopes, our service free;

For thee thy sons shall nobly live, And at thy need shall die for thee! ​

3. Great, without seeking to be great By fraud or conquest; rich in gold,

But richer in the large estate Of virtue which thy children hold;

With peace that comes of purity, And strength to simple justice due,

So runs our loyal dream of thee; God of our fathers! make it true.

O Land of lands! to thee we give Our prayers, our hopes, our service free;

For thee thy sons shall nobly live, And at thy need shall die for thee!