The New Dominion (poem)
July 1st, 1867 ‘The New Dominion’ By Charles Sangster
Taken from the Ottawa Citizen
Not in pride the firm foundations,
Of an Empire we lay;
Trusting in the God of Nations,
We would keep our Natal Day:
Trusting in that sacred promise,
Made to all those that believe
Will not now be wrested from us-
“Ask ye, and ye shall receive.”
Ardent souls to-day are moving,
Heaven with prayers for this dear land;
Men whose hearts go forth in loving,
Every pebble on its strand.
From New Brunswick’s sea-washed harbours,
Rolls the prayerful wavelet on:
Through the wilds and sunny arbors
Of the far Saskatchewan.
Hear us then, mysterious Power,
God, whom all the earth shall own,
Make this an auspicious hour,
Lay for us our cornerstone;
Lift Thy hands in blessings o’er us,
Bless us, Lord, from sea to sea,
Pointing to the hopes before us,
And the future yet to be.
Could we leave the past behind us,
Party rancor, priestly strife
So that every day would find us,
Rising to the higher life;
Could we with stern endeavor
Hand in hand begin the race,
Then among the nations ever
We might hold our lawful place.
Brothers, from whatever far land,
From what chime beneath the sun,
Here, to-day, in this our Norland,
Duty cries we must be one;
One with hopes that may not falter,
One with hearts as true as steel,
That no time nor change can alter
Through all coming woe or weal…
Land to which my hopes are clinging,
Proudly as our rivers swell
Is the voice of Freedom ringing
Round the hopes we love so well:
Keep that noble spirit centered
Firmly in each loving heart;
For the souls where once it entered
Let it never more depart.
But with Truth and Justice banding,
Throned within our council halls,
With its godlike form commanding
Like and angel on the walls;
Terror to the evil-doer,
Friend to Right and foe to Wrong,
But a sweet and gentle wooer
Where the heart is lean and strong.
Holy Love fill all our bowers,
Gentle Peace imbue the sod;
All the future may be ours,
But today belongs to God!
He hath laid our broad foundations,
Leaving us to build thereon;
Lo, we stand among the Nations,
God our living cornerstone!
