dual personalities

Now that the daylight fills the sky,
we lift our hearts to God on high,
that, he, in all we do or say,
would keep us free from harm this day:

Our hearts and lips may he restrain;
keep us from causing others pain,
that we may see and serve his son,
and grow in love for everyone.

From evil may he guard our eyes,
our ears from empty praise and lies;
from selfishness our hearts release,
that we may serve, and know his peace.

–John Mason Neale
#4 The Episcopal Hymnal 1982

I must say that this hymn/prayer is a wonderful and worthy way to start one’s day. It is one of the lesser known hymns of the great hymn writer John Mason Neale, Anglican priest and scholar, who was educated at Sherborne School, Dorset, and Trinity College, Cambridge, where (despite being said to be the best classical scholar in his year) lack of ability in mathematics prevented him taking an honours degree. Neale was named after the Puritan cleric and hymn writer John Mason (1645–1694), of whom his mother Susanna was a descendant.

A dour looking guy, probably still bitter about those low math scores.

Neale’s most enduring and widely known legacy is probably his contribution to the Christmas repertoire, most notably “Good Christian Men, Rejoice” and his original legendary Boxing Day carol, “Good King Wenceslas”. He was also responsible for much of the translation of the Advent hymn “O come, O come, Emmanuel”, based on the “O Antiphons” for the week preceding Christmas and his hymn “A Great and Mighty Wonder” (translated from the Greek of St Germanus).

Since Neale died on the Festival of the Transfiguration, he is commemorated by the Anglican churches on the following day, 7 August. He is also commemorated in the Calendar of Saints of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as a hymn writer on 1 July with Catherine Winkworth.