Hymn Of The Dunkers

Kloster Kedar, Ephrata, Pennsylvania (1738)     Sister Maria Christina sings:     Wake, sisters, wake! the day-star shines;     Above Ephrata's eastern pines     The dawn is breaking, cool and calm.     Wake, sisters, wake to prayer and psalm!     Praised be the Lord for shade and light,     For toil by day, for rest by night!     Praised be His name who deigns to bless     Our Kedar of the wilderness!     Our refuge when the spoiler's hand     Was heavy on our native land;     And freedom, to her children due,     The wolf and vulture only knew.     We praised Him when to prison led,     We owned Him when the stake blazed red;     We knew, whatever might befall,     His love and power were over all.     He heard our prayers; with outstretched arm     He led us forth from cruel harm;     Still, wheresoe'er our steps were bent,     His cloud and fire before us went!     The watch of faith and prayer He set,     We kept it then, we keep it yet.     At midnight, crow of cock, or noon,     He cometh sure, He cometh soon.     He comes to chasten, not destroy,     To purge the earth from sin's alloy.     At last, at last shall all confess     His mercy as His righteousness.     The dead shall live, the sick be whole,     The scarlet sin be white as wool;     No discord mar below, above,     The music of eternal love!     Sound, welcome trump, the last alarm!     Lord God of hosts, make bare thine arm,     Fulfil this day our long desire,     Make sweet and clean the world with fire!     Sweep, flaming besom, sweep from sight     The lies of time; be swift to smite,     Sharp sword of God, all idols down,     Genevan creed and Roman crown.     Quake, earth, through all thy zones, till all     The fanes of pride and priesteraft fall;     And lift thou up in place of them     Thy gates of pearl, Jerusalem!     Lo! rising from baptismal flame,     Transfigured, glorious, yet the same,     Within the heavenly city's bound     Our Kloster Kedar shall be found.     He cometh soon! at dawn or noon     Or set of sun, He cometh soon.     Our prayers shall meet Him on His way;     Wake, sisters, wake! arise and pray