Give me a holy life,
Spotless and free,
Cleansed by the crystal flow
Coming from Thee.
Purge the dark halls of thought,
Here let Thy work be wrought,
Each wish and feeling brought
Captive to Thee.
Cleanse, Thou refining Flame,
All that is mine;
Self only may remain
If Thou refine.
Fix the intention sure;
Make my desire secure;
With love my heart keep pure,
Rooted in Thee.
All my best works are naught,
Please they not Thee;
Far past my busy hands
Thine eye doth see –
Into the depths of mind,
Searching the plan designed,
Gladdened when Thou dost find
First of all, Thee.
Now is my will resigned,
Struggles are quelled;
Clay on the wheel am I,
Nothing withheld.
Master, I yield to Thee;
Crumble, then fashion me
Flawless, and fit to be
Indwelt by Thee.
Here is a very poetic, devotional hymn written by Leslie Taylor-Hunt. When his father, Regimental Sergeant-Major Gilbert Hunt, died in Leslie’s youth, he was adopted by an aunt and uncle, the Taylors, in Weston-super-Mare, England. The uncle was bandmaster at the local corps and that is where Leslie was introduced to The Salvation Army. He must have quickly become a very keen and active Salvationist, as during the First World War he was sent in charge of Hastings III Corps, even though he was only sixteen years old! After the war, Leslie entered the training garrison for Salvation Army officers. He was a cadet-sergeant at the training garrison, and then worked in Czechoslovakia for a time. Leslie was appointed to International Headquarters, London, in the Overseas, Literary and Secretarial Departments. During this period he often accompanied General Bramwell Booth on campaigns in Britain and other parts of Europe, as a vocal soloist in meetings led by the General. Later, Taylor-Hunt was appointed to Territorial Headquarters in Canada, but following that appointment he resigned from officership. He lived from 1901 to 1979.
