Father, Who Hast Gathered

Father, who hast gathered

This dear child to rest,

Unto Thee we yield him,

Sure Thou knowest best.

Thou, O Lord, who gavest,

Dost Thine own reclaim;

Thou, O Lord, hast taken-

Blessèd still Thy Name!

Thine by right creative,

By redemption Thine,

By regeneration

And the holy sign.

Thou Who didst endow him

With baptismal grace,

Now in love hast brought him

To behold Thy face.

Safe from all earth's sorrow,

Safe from all its pains,

Now this child of Adam,

Paradise regains:

Safe from all temptation,

Safe from fear of sin,

Through the blood of sprinkling

Holy, bright and clean.

Lay we this dear body

In the earth to sleep,

His sweet soul commending

Unto Thee to keep:

Looking for the dawning

Of that deathless day,

When all earthly shadows

Shall have fled away.

Only grant us, Father,

Courage in our strife,

And with him a portion

In unending life.