Verse 1

WHAT service shall we render thee O Fatherland we love? What gift of hand, or heart, or brain May our devotion prove? The coming age invokes our aid, Thy voice of old inspires; Shall we, thy sons and daughter, be Less worthy than our sires?

Verse 2

The service of the commonwealth Is not in arms alone; A nobler chivalry shall rise That war has ever known; Glad rivalries in arts of peace, True ministries of life, Shall supersede the arts of war And calm our feverish strife.

Verse 3

Too long the pagan rule of force Has held the world in thrall, Too long the clash of arms has drowned The higher human call. O comrades, seek a nobler quest! O keep a worthier tryst! The laws of hate have had their day; Proclaim the laws of Christ!

Verse 4

Lord of the nations, far and near, Send forth Thy quickening breath, Equip us for the tasks of life, Save us from deeds of death: Enlist us in Thy ranks to fight Fair freedom’s holy war, Whose battle-cry is Brotherhood, Far-flung from shore to shore.

Background: What Service Shall We Render Thee O