One of two hymns written for the Anniversary of the Birth of Susanna Wesley 350 years ago – 20th January 1669.
She was the mother of John and Charles Wesley.
Not just a shadow in the past,
a smudge on history’s page,
but women shared their faith themselves
and took the centre stage.
Not just content to live their lives
through children they had borne,
but standing, speaking, preaching love,
in face of fear or scorn.
Their sons might take the central place,
convention seemed to rule,
but wisdom played a different hand:
showed prejudice a fool.
So now we stand where they once stood,
defiant in God’s grace,
no crude constraint will turn us back
in any time or place!
Andrew Pratt 14/1/2019
Metre: CM
Tunes: SHANTI (by Marty Haugen); ABRIDGE.
Words © 2019 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England, http://www.stainer.co.uk.
Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.
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