Lord, giving an evil example, and denying thee like the heathen, we had one day closed up thy temples and mocked thy Holy Christ.
Lord, leaving behind us thy sacraments and commandments, we had brutally lost belief in all but self-interest and progress!
Lord, in the waste heavens we have clouded thy light with our smoke, and to-day the sons mock the nakedness and purity of their fathers.
Lord, we have blown upon thy Bible with the breath of false knowledge; and holding ourselves up like the poplar trees, we wretched beings have declared ourselves gods.
Lord, we have left the furrow, we have trampled all respect under foot; and with the heavy wine that intoxicates us we defile the innocent.
III
Lord, we are thy prodigal children, but we are thy Christians of old; let thy justice chastise us, but give us not over unto death.
Lord, in the name of so many brave men, who went forth fearless, valiant, docile, grave, and then fell in battle;
Lord, in the name of so many mothers, who are about to pray to God for their sons, and who next year, alas! and the year thereafter, shall see them no more;