This is the venerable hymn text by Frederick William Faber here set to SAWSTON. When I blogged it for CWB I, I thought it was an idiosyncratic choice, but here we have John de Luca making the same choice, so it was a local preference I suppose.
I don’t like the text any more than I did, even in this version, which differs somewhat from others I have seen.
I made a new organ backing on BIAB:
1 Faith of our fathers, living still
In spite of dungeon, fire and sword:
Oh, how our hearts beat high with joy
Whene’er we hear that glorious word!
Faith of our fathers! holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death! (Rpt)
2 Our fathers, chained in prisons dark,
Were still in heart and conscience free:
How sweet would be their children’s fate,
If they, like them, could die for thee!
Faith of our fathers! holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death! (Rpt)
3 Faith of our fathers, Mary’s prayers
Shall win all people back to thee;
And through the truth that comes from God
Mankind shall then indeed be free!
Faith of our fathers! holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death! (Rpt)
4 Faith of our fathers, we will love
Both friend and foe in all our strife,
And preach thee too, as love knows how
By kindly words and virtuous life:
Faith of our fathers! holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death! (Rpt)