My Faith It Is an Oaken Staff

“My faith, it is an oaken staff, the traveler’s well loved aid…” so begins the text of the hymn which inaugurates Alfred’s new Hidden Hymn Gems series. This series is dedicated to “mining” hymn “gems” from the rich “vein” of Christian hymnody, and “polishing” them into new arrangements for handbells with an optional part for voice and/or congregation. This hymn was penned by Thomas Toke Lynch (1818-1871) and is found in The Pilgrim Hymnal (published in 1958). It works equally well for worship or concert program and naturally lends itself to an All Saints Day celebration. This piece is written in C and D Majors and is 104 measures.