Hymn for Singapore

Before times motion had began, into the void primordial cryptic Amidst the swirling chaos forlorn, send forth the Father, Word and Spirit. Decreed He chaos reign be bro en, willed He voids depression loosen, And by this th!nder serene eternal, form and life to being were spo en. "maging that first cosmic deed, #rovidence echoes creations act, Amidst the $!ngles and fa!na lethargic, send forth Britain by heavens fiat. %nder her r!le, &!een 'ictoria, glorio!sly reigning by (hrists grace, )affles her viceroy did vo!chsafed, to Singapore her citys base. Beneath #rovidences watchf!l vigils, send Him forth his British servants, Armed with mortar and mandate royal, o!r sleepy island to dawn new advent, called they forth o!r fathers of old, established they o!r laws and roads, peace and place to !s were granted, here a home and life for !s to mo!ld. #rovidence His march contin!es, thro!gh His *nglish stead He r!les, #leased to prosper o!r island h!mble, blessed He !s with trade and plenty. Firm stood that first fo!ndation, thro!gh wars, and toils and historys ab!se, +ho!gh now no longer Britains vassal, their ways and tong!e o!r land still f!els. Forget not ever Singapore dear, thy former h!mble days colonial, )emember always thy first fo!ndation, the Fiat which first gave thee life. +ho!gh aspire now ye a nation be, b!t recall now thy first flight, When left tho! thy races home, and accepted tho! thy *nglish tong!e and g!ide. , (hristian loo beyond thy past, and lift thy eyes above celestial, -ot only to these lands a stranger past, b!t to this world estranged perennial, +hy colonial past to thee remind, that thy lands forever colonial, A colony of that world eternal, above both Singapore and *ngland transcend. S!b$ect tho! o!r pride, , .ord, sho!ld we ever forget, that it was thee o!r city b!ilt, not we o!rselves beget, ,!r British r!lers thy vicars here, a memorial we be wanderers, for never shall we here be rooted, nor this land shall we be fettered, !ntil by grace we reach at last, that glorio!s land of wonders. . %nflinchingly thy #rovidence, moves the world to thee, Shall Singapore be left behind, thy $!dgments are we meet/ +ho! alone o!r end tho! nowest, no statesman may divine, b!t offer thee o!r solemn prayers, thy mercies !s remind. #raise be that Will which first established, the heavens and the earth, by divine decree r!ns thro!gh His Son, and thro!gh Him *nglands will, by #rovidence thro!gh *nglands will, o!r island citys birth, be pleased to contin!e !s to g!ide !ntil, we reach those golden fields.