At church this morning (Mother's Day) for "Special Music" we (all the men present) sang a hymn which our pastor found in the New National Baptist Hymnal (2001). It is a parody of the classic Frederick Faber hymn Faith of Our Fathers and uses the same tune, ST. CATHERINE. I would appreciate knowing any details such as the year the text was written and/or first published; A. B. Patten's full name and vital statistics...

Faith of Our Mothers
Words by A. B. Patten
And He said to the woman, "Thy faith hath saved thee" — Luke 7:50 KJV

1. Faith of our mothers, living still
   In cradle song and bedtime prayer;
   In nursery lore and fireside love,
   Thy presence still pervades the air:
   Faith of our mothers, living faith!
   We will be true to thee to death.



2. Faith of our mothers, loving faith,
   Fount of our childhood's trust and grace,
   Oh, may thy consercration prove
   Source of a finer, nobler race:
   Faith of our mothers, living faith,
   We will be true to thee till death.



3. Faith of our mothers, guiding faith,
   For youthful longing, youthful doubt,
   How blurred our vision, blind our way,
   Thy providential care without:
   Faith of our mothers, guiding faith,
   We will be true to thee till death.



4. Faith of our mothers, Christian faith,
   Is truth beyond our stumbling creeds,
   Still serve the home and save the Church,
   And breathe thy spirit through our deeds:
   Faith of our mothers, Christian faith!
   We will be true to thee till death.

Haruo