OUR CAUSE
I
Lord God, who mad'st Spain's vessels melt
Before the flame our squadrons dealt,
And Santiago's mountain belt
Rock near and far
With thunder of our ships of steel,
Keep us still humble! help us kneel
In prayer with hearts as great to heal,
As strong in war!
II
When turret booms to turret; when
The steam goes up of battle, then
Lord God, we pray Thee, keep our men
Till all is o'er:
Should pride of conquest then mislead
Our House and Senate, Lord, we plead
Keep Thou our cause as clean of greed
As 'twas before.
III
And when the batteries there of Spain,
From shore and headland, hurricane
Their roaring sleet and crashing rain
Of shell and shot;
When drums beat up and bugles blow,
And rank on rank we face the foe,
In life and death, in joy and woe,
Forget us not.
IV
Not for ourselves we pray to Thee;
But for the cause of liberty,
Lord God!—Let old Oppression see
How o'er her coasts
Our Eagle's fierce, majestic form
Soars through the lightning and the storm
Beneath thy all protecting arm,
Lord God of Hosts!
July 4th, 1898.
