FAITH DEFENDERS

Beside a gracefoo ripplin’ brook
Weel kent by locals al’
An’ at that noo historic nook,
Yince Maggie’s famous wal’,
Majestic stan’s this sacred pile,
The Brook-side church o’ God,
Over which stile some sleep awhile
Beneath the native sod,
Foo green this day.

The linin’ yins wha wurship there
Ir Christians heart an’ heid,
Regerdin’ whom I’ll say nae mair
Than that they ir real guid,
Their clergy, Mr Wilson, dear,
Is foremaist in his line,
A man, a seer, knet far an’ near.
A star that noo doth shine
Foo bricht this day.

But let oor min’s please noo revert
Tae that guid Sabbath day,
An’ may its mem’ry ne’er depert,
But leive in us fur aye
The readin’ o’ the Scriptures plain,
The heart-felt praise an’ prayer,
An’ sermon taen oor thochts abain,
Tae heaven bricht an’ fair,
Foo sure this day.

His reverence show’d clear at the start,
In order tae be kept,
That first an’ foremaist in each heart
The faith we maun accept
Which comes by hearin’s God’s ain wurd
At school, at church, at hame,
Ur onywhar we trust the Lord,
It means yin an’ the same,
Foo firm this day.

The wye tae keep this faith within
Wuz juist tae let it oot,
It langest stapt what it cud rin,
Withoot a single doot;
The mair we scatter’d it fur richt,
It strong an’ stronger grew,
Until we wun wae al’ oor micht
Defend it here an’ noo,
Foo strong this day.

Defendin’ the true faith juist noo
Is giein’ some concern,
Regerdin’ which ur what ur hoo
We yit hae much tae learn;
The greatest wepon is juist faith,
Wae which tae wun the fecht,
As it shall wound al’ wrange til’ daith,
An’ keep the richt side strecht,
Foo fair this day.

Referrin’ tae George, oor guid King,
On India’s burnin’ san’
Hoo at the mission he did sing,
An’ pray juist like a man,
Wha’ is, as every penny states,
“Defender o’ the Faith,”
Tae him an’ hir wha mae yin hates,
We wish lang life tae baith,
Foo gled this day.

Random Rhymer, Cullybackey, 12th February 1912