Christian, Wouldst Thou Boast Aright?

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Christian, wouldst thou boast aright

Versifier: Herbert Kynaston
Tune: RATISBON
Published in 1 hymnal

Printable scores: PDF, Noteworthy Composer
Audio files: MIDI

Piano/Organ
	Hymn Harmonizations, Set 2

Representative Text

1 Christian, wouldst thou boast aright,
Deck thy brows with living light?
Twined above that altar’s horns,
Contemplate the crown of thorns:
Him, the rather, love the more
Who for thee that thorn-crown wore.

2 This the King of Glory bound
All His bleeding forehead round;
With this helmet on His head
Smote the foe of quick and dead;
Crowned with this triumphant wreath
Plucked the thorny sting from death.

3 This the crest the fight to stem,
Pontiff’s only diadem,
Only crown on earth to win,
In the battlefield of sin,
Changed, the while that head they hold,
Crown of thorns to crowns of gold.

4 All those thorn-points, sharp and gory,
Touched by Him are rays of glory,
In His Passion’s crucifying
Scorn no more, but praise undying,
Twining roses for His tomb
Of an amaranthine bloom.

5 Thorny ground with sweat of brow
Mingling in that labor now,
While the second Adam toils,
All the earth of curse despoils;
Thorns, fit only for the burning,
To a wreath of radiance turning.

6 Only good, and only grand,
Jesus, strength of those that stand,
Only might of them that win,
Pluck from life the sting of sin;
From our work with briers strown
Wreathe us an eternal crown!

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #10786

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Versifier: Herbert Kynaston

Kynaston, Herbert, D.D., was born Nov. 23, 1809, and educated at Westminster School, and Christ Church, Oxford (of which he was sometime Student), where he graduated in 1831 (1st class Lit. Hum.). Taking Holy Orders in 1834, he became Head Master of St. Paul's School, London, in 1838; Select Preacher of the University of Oxford, 1842-43; Rector of St. Nicholas-Cole-Abbey, with St. Nicholas Olave, 1850-66; and Prebendary of Holborn in St. Paul's Cathedral, 1853. He died Oct. 1878. His Miscellaneous Poems were published in 1840, and his hymns as follows:— (1) Occasional Hymns (original and translated), 1862. (2) Occasional Hymns, 2nd series, pt. i., 1864. (3) Occasional Hymns, 2nd series, pt. ii., chiefly on the Miracles, 1866. These hymn… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Christian, wouldst thou boast aright
Title:	Christian, Wouldst Thou Boast Aright?
Latin Title:	Si vis vere gloriari
Versifier:	Herbert Kynaston
Meter:	7.7.7.7.7.7
Source:	13th century Latin
Language:	English
Notes:	Evidently written for an Office of the Reception of the Holy Crown of Thorns by St. Louis of France, a festival first celebrated at Paris in Aug. 11, 1239 (see st. x, Est corona credita, Et in te reposita, urbs Parisiorum) (Julian, page 1702). Also see Dost Thou Truly Seek Renown.