I. <br />Our fathers' God! from out whose hand <br />The centuries fall like grains of sand, <br />We meet to-day, united, free, <br />And loyal to our land and Thee, <br />To thank Thee for the era done, <br />And trust Thee for the opening one. <br /> <br />II. <br />Here, where of old, by Thy design, <br />The fathers spake that word of Thine <br />Whose echo is the glad refrain <br />Of rended bolt and falling chain, <br />To grace our festal time, from all <br />The zones of earth our guests we call. <br /> <br />III. <br />Be with us while the New World greets <br />The Old World thronging all its streets, <br />Unveiling all the triumphs won <br />By art or toil beneath the sun; <br />And unto common good ordain <br />This rivalship of hand and brain. <br /> <br />IV. <br />Thou, who hast here in concord furled <br />The war flags of a gathered world, <br />Beneath our Western skies fulfil <br />The Orient's mission of good-will, <br />And, freighted with love's Golden Fleece, <br />Send back its Argonauts of peace. <br /> <br />V. <br />For art and labor met in truce, <br />For beauty made the bride of use, <br />We thank Thee; but, withal, we crave <br />The austere virtues strong to save, <br />The honor proof to place or gold, <br />The manhood never bought nor sold. <br /> <br />VI. <br />Oh make Thou us, through centuries long, <br />In peace secure, in justice strong; <br />Around our gift of freedom draw <br />The safeguards of Thy righteous law <br />And, cast in some diviner mould, <br />Let the new cycle shame the old!<br /><br />John Greenleaf Whittier<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/centennial-hymn/
