Árdís - 01.01.1958, Side 13

Ársrit Bandalags lúterskra kvenna 11
Kirkjurnar, sem íslenzkir frumherjar stofnsettu fyrr meir, eru
nú orðnar að miklu leyti enskar, en stofninn leynir sér ekki, og
starfið í kirkjunum hjá eldri og yngri er bautarsteinn íslenzkra
frumherja. Þegar fastan, sem er undirbúningur undir páskadýrðina,
nálgast, eru sungnir af hjarta sálmar Hallgríms Péturssonar:
„Vertu Guð faðir, faðir minn,
í Frelsarans Jesú nafni.
Hönd þín leiði mig út og inn,
svo allri synd ég hafni.“
Guð dreifir fræinu, og á sínum tíma kemur ávöxturinn.
—MARGRÉT STEPTHENSEN
Like As Some Lonely Flower
(Allt eins og blómstrið eina)
This hymn has been the sacred inheritance of the Icelandic
people since the seventeenth century. Its author is Hallgrimur
Petursson, the author of the Passion Hymns. This hymn became
a part of the graveside service at every funeral in Iceland and
here in America wherever the pioneers of Lutheran faith were
laid to rest. Magnificent in its grandeur, strength and adoration
it brought comfort and assurance to countless mourners.
In this time of transition when so many customs and traditions
dear to our older people are being laid aside it is well that we
have a translation of this hymn by such a man as Charles Venn
Pilcher who became intensely interested in the sacred literature
of Iceland when a student at Oxford. Among his translations is
this hymn, also a part of the Passion Hymns and other hymns
and poems.
We now present this English translation to our readers. May
those of our own group who do not read the Icelandic, and our
non-Icelandic readers take time to study it and ponder over its
strength and beauty.