The Saint who first found grace to pen
The Life which was the Life of men,
And shed abroad the Gospel’s ray,
His fame we celebrate today.

Lo, drawn by Pentecostal fire,
His heart conceived its great desire,
When pure of mind, inspired, he heard
And with his hand set forth the Word.

Then, clearly writ, the Godhead shone
Serene and fair to look upon;
And through that record still comes power
To lighten souls in death’s dark hour.

O holy mind, for wisdom fit
Wherein that Life of lives stood writ,
May we through minds of like accord
Show forth the patterns of our Lord.

And so may all whose minds are dark
Be led to truth by good Saint Mark,
And after this our earthly strife
Stand written in the Book of Life.

Praise God Who made the world so fair,
And sent His Son our Savior there,
And by His Holy Spirit wist
To teach the first Evangelist.

O Thou Who in Jordan didst bow Thy meek head,
And, ’whelmed in our sorrow, didst sink to the dead,
Then rose from the darkness to glory above,
And claimed for Thy chosen the kingdom of love.

Thy footsteps we follow, to bow in the tide,
And are buried with Thee in the death Thou hast died;
Then wake in Thy likeness to walk in the way
That brightens and brightens to shadowless day.

O Jesus, our Savior, O Jesus, our Lord,
By the life of Thy passion, the grace of Thy Word,
Accept us, redeem us, dwell ever within,
To keep, by Thy Spirit, our spirits from sin.

Till, crowned with Thy glory, and waving the palm,
Our garments all white from the blood of the Lamb,
We join the bright millions of saints gone before,
To bless Thee, and wonder, and praise evermore.

Awhile in spirit, Lord, to Thee
Into the desert we would flee;
Awhile upon the barren steep
Our fast with Thee in spirit keep.

Awhile from Thy temptation learn
The daily snares of sin to spurn,
And in our hearts to feel and own
Man liveth not by bread alone.

O Thou once tempted like as we,
Thou knowest our infirmity;
Be Thou our Helper in the strife,
Be Thou our true, our inward Life.

And while, at Thy command we pray,
“Give us our bread from day to day,”
May we with Thee, O Christ, be fed,
Thou Word of God, Thou living Bread.

Forty days and forty nights
Thou wast fasting in the wild;
Forty days and forty nights
Tempted, and yet undefiled.

Sunbeams scorching all the day;
Chilly dew-drops nightly shed;
Prowling beasts about Thy way;
Stones Thy pillow; earth Thy bed.

Should not we Thy sorrow share
And from worldly joys abstain,
Fasting with unceasing prayer,
Strong with Thee to suffer pain?

Then if Satan on us press,
Jesus, Savior, hear our call!
Victor in the wilderness,
Grant we may not faint nor fall!

So shall we have peace divine:
Holier gladness ours shall be;
Round us, too, shall angels shine,
Such as ministered to Thee.

Keep, O keep us, Savior dear,
Ever constant by Thy side;
That with Thee we may appear
At the eternal Eastertide.

The glory of these forty days
We celebrate with songs of praise;
For Christ, by Whom all things were made,
Himself has fasted and has prayed.

Alone and fasting Moses saw
The loving God Who gave the law;
And to Elijah, fasting, came
The steeds and chariots of flame.

So Daniel trained his mystic sight,
Delivered from the lions’ might;
And John, the Bridegroom’s friend, became
The herald of Messiah’s Name.

Then grant us, Lord, like them to be
Full oft in fast and prayer with Thee;
Our spirits strengthen with Thy grace,
And give us joy to see Thy face.

O Father, Son, and Spirit blest,
To thee be every prayer addressed,
Who art in threefold Name adored,
From age to age, the only Lord.

Come sing, ye choirs exultant,
Those messengers of God,
Through whom the living Gospels
Came sounding all abroad!
Whose voice proclaimed salvation
That poured upon the night,
And drove away the shadows,
And filled the world with light.

He chose them, our Good Shepherd,
And, tending evermore,
His flock through earth’s four quarters,
In wisdom made them four;
True Lawgiver, He bade them
Their healing message speed—
One charter for all nations,
One glorious title deed!

In one harmonious witness
The chosen four combine
While each his own commission
Fulfills in every line;
As, in the prophet’s vision,
From out the amber flame
In form of visage diverse
Four living creatures came.

Lo, these the wingèd chariots,
That bring Emmanuel nigh,
The golden staves, uplifting
God’s very ark on high;
And these the fourfold river
Of paradise above,
Whence flow for all the nations
New mysteries of love.

Foursquare on this foundation
The Church of Christ remains,
A house to stand unshaken
By floods or winds or rains.
O glorious happy portion
In this safe home to be,
By God, true man, united
With God eternally.