King of the city splendid

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King of the city splendid

Author: George T. Coster
Published in 9 hymnals

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Representative Text

1 King of the city splendid,
Eternal in the height,
May all our country's cities
Be holy in Thy sight:
Cleansed from the deeds of darkness
Cities of light.

2 Inspire the sons of labour,
That honest toil may be
Their token, in life's hardness,
Of loyalty to Thee.
That Thou mayst in their hand-work
Love's heart-work see.

3 Teach love to gladden children
Who know not childhood's mirth,
Wronged of their rights no beauty
In their scant reach of earth:
To hope's large sunshine give them
A second birth.

4 Lord, end the spell of passion,
Break Thou the drunkard's lure:
Thou art the one Physician
The human heart to cure;
The wavering will to strengthen,
Foul life make pure.

5 Soon may our country's cities
Thy robe of glory wear:
Each place of toil a temple,
Each house a home of prayer:
Each city's name of beauty
The Lord is There!

Source: Methodist Hymn and Tune Book: official hymn book of the Methodist Church #415

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Author: George T. Coster

Coster, George Thomas, was born in 1835 at Chatham, Kent; studied for the Congregational Ministry at New College, London; ordained in 1859 at Newport, Essex, and has since held pastorates at Barnstaple, Hull, South Norwood, and Whitby. He has published (besides many sermons and tracts) Pastors and People, 1869; Allegories, 1878; Lorrin and other Poems, 1859; the Rhyme of St. Peter's Fall, 1871, and Poems and Hymns, 1882. He has also contributed several poems on Scripture characters (a line in which he excels) to The Poet's Bible, and edited, in 1869 Temperance Melodies and Religious Hymns. Of his hymns the following are in common use:— 1. Dost thou bow beneath the burthen. Fellowship with God. This is an imitation of Dr. Neale's "Art… Go to person page >

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