FAIREST LORD JESUS

 

FAIREST LORD JESUS Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature, O thou of God and man the Son, Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor, Thou, my soul's glory, joy, and crown. Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands, robed in the blooming garb of spring: Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer who makes the woeful heart to sing. Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight, and all the twinkling starry host: Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer than all the angels heaven can boast. Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations! Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor, praise, adoration, now and forevermore be thine. Hymn by Friedrich Spee von Langenfeld, 1591-1635, who was a German Jesuit priest and poet. He was of a much deeper and purer nature than some writers of his era; and excelled in originality, in imagination, and in poetic inspiration. His poems are characterised by a very keen love for the works of God in the natural world; and also by a deep and fervent love to God, to Christ, and to his fellow men. Surprisingly, this sensitive artist is most notable for his opposition to the witchcraft trials of the time and his fervent advocacy for the rights of the accused; he was instrumental in nearly eliminating the witchhunts.