Motherhood Sublime Eternal

This is a hymn about motherhood. It was reportedly inspired by the Mother-God theology of English Roman Catholic nun Julian of Norwich (1342-1416).

The words were written by American Universalist minister Julian Stearns Cutler (1854-1930).

With meter 87 87 87, tunes it is set to include:

MOTHERHOOD (Moore) by Willis A. Moore - originally composed for the hymn
IN BABILONE, a Dutch traditional melody from Oude en Nieuwe Hollantse, 1710.

Downloads

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PowerPoint slides

Examples

Solo singer with piano backing, tune = MOTHERHOOD

Instrumental piano. Tune = IN BABILONE

Lyrics

Motherhood, sublime, eternal, lives in God’s great heart of Love;
Ever holds us, safe enfolds us, underneath, around, above;
Patient, tender, kind, forgiving, though in devious paths we roam;
Gently chides us, ever guides us, and all-loving, leads us home.

Ev’ry wrong will sure be righted; ev’ry evil swept away;
Truth upspringing, justice bringing, ushers in the brighter day;
Mother calls her earthly children, loves them, lifts them when they fall;
Striving, calling, fainting, falling, Motherlove enfolds them all.

God is love, and love forever in the motherheart is blest;
Lives the longest, lifts the strongest, far outreaching all the rest;
Not by might, and not by wisdom comes our lifting from the sod:
Love’s pure glory tells the story in the Motherheart of God.