Recent events have made me think a lot about one of our hymns.<\/p>\n
By happenstance yesterday I came across Rudyard Kipling\u2019s \u201cRecessional\u201d in the April 25, 1940 issue of the Millennial Star. Both my coming across it, and its publication in the Star seem like appropriate timing, given the poem\u2019s text. Most LDS Church members will recognize the hymn from its first line, \u201cGod of our Fathers, Known of Old,\u201d but I\u2019m not sure how many have really connected with what the text says.<\/p>\n
Kipling wrote the poem in 1897 for Queen Victoria\u2019s diamond jubilee, when the British empire was at its height. But in the poem Kipling sees the empire\u2019s potential decline. Written in the form of a prayer, the poem urges us to remember God instead of focusing on power and military might.<\/p>\n
Here is the poem after the first stanza, which we know well:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\nThe tumult and the shouting dies;<\/div>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Captains and the Kings depart:<\/div>\nStill stands Thine ancient sacrifice,<\/div>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0An humble and a contrite heart.<\/div>\nLord God of Hosts, be with us yet,<\/div>\nLest we forget\u2014lest we forget!<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFar-called, our navies melt away;<\/div>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0On dune and headland sinks the fire:<\/div>\nLo, all our pomp of yesterday<\/div>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!<\/div>\nJudge of the Nations, spare us yet,<\/div>\nLest we forget\u2014lest we forget!<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIf, drunk with sight of power, we loose<\/div>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,<\/div>\nSuch boastings as the Gentiles use,<\/div>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Or lesser breeds without the Law\u2014<\/div>\nLord God of Hosts, be with us yet,<\/div>\nLest we forget\u2014lest we forget!<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFor heathen heart that puts her trust<\/div>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In reeking tube and iron shard,<\/div>\nAll valiant dust that builds on dust,<\/div>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0And guarding, calls not Thee to guard,<\/div>\nFor frantic boast and foolish word\u2014<\/div>\nThy mercy on Thy People, Lord!<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/p>\n
With the events of the past two days, these lines are now going around in my mind, over and over. I don\u2019t know if the United States is at an apex, or already in some kind of decline, but Kipling\u2019s words resonate with the way our country has acted. (Sorry for using \u201cour\u201d if you aren\u2019t a U.S. citizen \u2014 but that means you aren\u2019t responsible for the actions of the U.S.)<\/p>\n
So, I am praying and fasting today, that our country can leave its focus on our pomp of yesterday behind. That we will stop using our \u201cwild tongues that have not [God] in awe.\u201d That we stop \u201cputting our trust in reeking tube and iron shard.\u201d And that we will instead hold reach for a \u201chumble and a contrite heart.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u2019m praying that our country will not forget. For I\u2019m worried about what comes, \u201clest we forget\u2014lest we forget.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Recent events have made me think a lot about one of our hymns. By happenstance yesterday I came across Rudyard Kipling\u2019s \u201cRecessional\u201d in the April 25, 1940 issue of the Millennial Star. Both my coming across it, and its publication in the Star seem like appropriate timing, given the poem\u2019s text. Most LDS Church members will recognize the hymn from its first line, \u201cGod of our Fathers, Known of Old,\u201d but I\u2019m not sure how many have really connected with what the text says. Kipling wrote the poem in 1897 for Queen Victoria\u2019s diamond jubilee, when the British empire was at its height. But in the poem Kipling sees the empire\u2019s potential decline. Written in the form of a prayer, the poem urges us to remember God instead of focusing on power and military might. Here is the poem after the first stanza, which we know well: The tumult and the shouting dies; \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Captains and the Kings depart: Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice, \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0An humble and a contrite heart. Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget\u2014lest we forget! Far-called, our navies melt away; \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0On dune and headland sinks the fire: Lo, all our pomp […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":111,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-52931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latter-day-saint-thought"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52931","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/111"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52931"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52931\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":52938,"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52931\/revisions\/52938"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52931"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52931"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52931"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}