Believing fathers oft have told

Believing fathers oft have told
what things by God were done,
when faithful men in days of old
their lifelong battle won;
and now when God calls us to life,
and Satan tempts each man,
we choose our side in the mortal strife
to fight as best we can, -
like brothers true, of one accord,
to hold one faith and serve one Lord.

Our King has come to claim his own,
has paid the debt we owe,
himself has fought the fight alone,
in straits we cannot know.
Amid the world's confusèd noise,
where we but darkly see,
the Christ appeals, with sweet, clear voice,
'My brothers, follow me,' -
like brothers true, of one accord,
to hold one faith, to serve one Lord.

His Church our shelter, he our Guide,
our strength his healing Cross,
we range ourselves upon his side,
where none can suffer loss.
We're safe behind our Savior's shield;
he makes us heirs of heaven;
we claim upon the embattled field
the victory Christ has given, -
like brothers true, of one accord,
to hold one faith and serve one Lord.

And yet, O Christ, our Savior King,
unless thou keep us thine,
our faith will soon dry at the spring,
our love will shrink and pine.
so by thy Spirit mold us, Lord;
inspire our hearts to pray;
our hungry souls feed with thy word,
teach all our Guild to say,
'True brothers true, of one accord,
we hold one faith, we serve one Lord.'

We fain would do our Master's part,
and help our fellow-men,
would cheer some lonely brother's heart,
some lost one bring again,
would serve the Church abroad, at home,
with hearts from self set free,
striving to make thy Kingdom come.
O God, so may it be,
that, brothers true, with one accord,
we hold the faith and serve the Lord!

Words: Archibald H Charteris (1835-1908), 1889 in The Guild Magazine

Music: Stonypath (Charles MacPherson, 1870-1927, 1916)

Meter: 86 86 86 86 88

Hymnal, Year Number Tunes Other comments
Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861-1874      
The Anglican Hymn Book, 1868       
The Sarum Hymnal, 1869      
The Church Hymnal, 1871 (Hall & Whiteley)      
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Goodrich & Gilbert)      
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Tucker & Rousseau)      
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Hutchins)      
Church Hymns with Tunes, 1874      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1874      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, Standard, 1875-1924 680 Stonypath  
A Church of England Hymn Book, 1879      
The Universal Hymn Book, 1885      
The Hymnal Companion, 1890      
The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Darlington)      
The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Parker)      
The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Hutchins)      
The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Tucker & Rousseau)      
The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Helfenstein)      
The Church Hymnal, 1892 (Messiter)      
The Yattendon Hymnal, 1900
      
Church Hymns, New Edition, 1903      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Edition, 1904      
The English Hymnal, 1906      
The Book of Common Praise, 1908      
The Hymnal 1916      
Church Hymnal for the Christian Year, 1917 768 Guild  
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1919      
Church Hymnal Revised, 1920 (Hutchins)      
The Oxford Hymn Book, 1925      
Songs of Praise, 1925      
Songs of Praise, Enlarged Edition, 1931      
The Book of Common Praise, 1938      
The Hymnal 1940      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, Revised, 1950      
The Mirfield Mission Hymn Book, 1955      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1960      
Anglican Hymn Book, 1965      
The Hymn Book 1971      
The Australian Hymn Book / With One Voice, 1977      
The Hymnal 1982      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Standard, 1983      
The New English Hymnal, 1985      
Hymns for Today's Church, second edition, 1988      
Church Family Worship, 1988      
Hymns Old & New, New Anglican Edition, 1996      
Common Praise (Anglican Church of Canada), 1998      
Together in Song: The Australian Hymn Book II, 1999      
Sing Glory, 1999      
Complete Mission Praise, 2000      
Common Praise: Hymns Ancient & Modern, 2000      
Hymns Old & New, Complete Anglican Edition, 2000      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 2000      

Website compiled by Steve Benner, 1999-2004.