Other St Giles Hymns

Father Jeremy of St. Michael’s Church, Torrington, Devon, has kindly sent more hymns for Saint Giles:

Thou who art beyond all praise,
And yet in love dost condescend,
To hear when we our voices raise,
With angel-choirs above to blend.

For Jesus Christ,thy Son, Our Lord,
Our Saviour, Brother, Friend and Guide,
And for the Spirit’s gifts outpoured,
Thy Holy Name be magnified.

Throughout all time thy saints on earth,
Have served thy cause as mortals can,
Shown forth thy praise, proclaimed thy worth,
To their benighted brother, man.

Of their great number Giles was one,
Whose heart with thy compassion burned;
Though highly-born, a rich man’s son,
He to the weak and lowly turned.

The poor, the infirm and the outcast,
He visited in thy dear Name.
In Thee to find reward at last,
In Thee his all-sufficient fame.

So may we be content to serve,
To labour with no thought of gain;
Thy will to do without reserve,
And count earth’s glittering prizes vain.

Arthur Parsons.

Lord, who of thy kindness
Pitied human pain,
Gave by this thy Servant
Hope renewed again.

Honoured then be Giles,
Patron Saint and friend,
Cripples, lepers, whole men
All our praises blend.

Where we cannot heal them,
They who suffer still,
May we be their guardians
As their Saint would will.

Mighty is man’s power now
To do hurt to man,
Grant; we have the goodness
Our own faults to ban.

Let us make no cripples,
Help the sick anew,
Thus might we reflect Thee,
Lord and Servant too.

Esther Kiddie