| Alfred H. Miles, ed. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century. 1907. | | | The Holy Year (1862).
I. “Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost” | | By Christopher Wordsworth (1807–1885) |
| | (Quinquagesima)
GRACIOUS Spirit, Holy Ghost, | |
| Taught by Thee, we covet most | |
| Of Thy gifts at Pentecost, | |
| Holy, heavenly Love. | |
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| Faith, that mountains could remove, | 5 |
| Tongues of earth or Heaven above; | |
| Knowledge—all things—empty prove, | |
| Without heavenly love. | |
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| Though I as a Martyr bleed, | |
| Give my goods the poor to feed, | 10 |
| All is vain, if Love I need; | |
| Therefore, Give me Love. | |
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| Love is kind, and suffers long, | |
| Love is meek, and thinks no wrong, | |
| Love, than death itself more strong; | 15 |
| Therefore, Give us Love. | |
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| Prophecy will fade away, | |
| Melting in the light of day; | |
| Love will ever with us stay! | |
| Therefore, Give us Love. | 20 |
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| Faith will vanish into sight; | |
| Hope be emptied in delight; | |
| Love in heaven will shine more bright; | |
| Therefore, Give us Love. | |
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| Faith and Hope and Love we see | 25 |
| Joining hand in hand agree; | |
| But the greatest of the three, | |
| And the best, is Love. | |
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| From the overshadowing | |
| Of Thy gold and silver wing, | 30 |
| Shed on us, who to Thee sing, | |
| Holy, heavenly Love! | | | | |
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