Nitze Is Honored at Capital Memorial Service - Chesterton is quoted

Arms negotiator Paul Nitze had his funeral at the National Cathedral yesterday (The New York Times > Washington > Nitze Is Honored at Capital Memorial Service ) and his son quoted a few lines from Chesterton saying:

In a veiled reference to current American foreign policy and to his father's reputation as a rigorous thinker, Mr. Nitze cited a hymn by G. K. Chesterton as "a text'' for his father's life. The hymn asks for deliverance "from all that terror teaches, from lies of tongue and pen, from all the easy speeches that comfort cruel men.''


This is of course from "A Hymn: O God of Earth and Altar" and it goes like this (courtesty of Chesterton.org):

O God of earth and altar,

Bow down and hear our cry,

Our earthly rulers falter,

Our people drift and die;

The walls of gold entomb us,

The swords of scorn divide,

Take not thy thunder from us,

But take away our pride.

From all that terror teaches,

From lies of tongue and pen,

From all the easy speeches

That comfort cruel men,

From sale and profanation

Of honour and the sword,

From sleep and from damnation,

Deliver us, good Lord.

Tie in a living tether

The prince and priest and thrall,

Bind all our lives together,

Smite us and save us all;

In ire and exultation

Aflame with faith, and free,

Lift up a living nation,

A single sword to thee.

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