The Army and Navy Hymnal/Hymns/Angel of Peace

by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.(American Hymn by Matthias Keller)

Layout 2

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Angel of Peace

(AMERICAN HYMN. 10, 10, 10, 10, D.)

Oliver Wendell Holmes, 1869

Matthias Keller, 1866

1. Angel of peace thou hast wandered too long;
   Spread thy white wings to the sunshine of love!
   Come while our voices are blended in song,
   Fly to our ark like the storm-beaten dove,—
   Fly to our ark on the wings of the dove,
   Speed o'er the far-sounding billows of song,
   Crowned with the olive-leaf garland of love;
   Angel of peace, thou hast waited to long!
   
2. Brothers we meet on this altar of thine,
   Mingling the gifts we have gathered for thee ;
   Sweet with the odors of myrtle and pine,
   Breeze of the prairie and breath of the sea,—
   Meadow and mountain and forest and sea;
   Sweet is the fragrance of myrtle and pine
   Sweet the incense we offer to thee ;
   Brothers once more round this altar of thine!
   
3. Angels of Bethlehem, answer the strain!
   Hark! a new birth-song is filling the sky
   Loud as the storm-wind that tumbles the main,
   Bid the full breath of the organ reply,—
   Loud let the tempest of voices reply;
   Roll its long surge like the earth shaking main!
   Swell the vast song till it mounts to the sky!
   Angels of Bethlehem, eecho the strain! Amen

Angel of peace