Prayer for a City

A reader found this poem mounted in Cincinnati City Hall. The link below is to an interesting Wikipedia page about the author:

PRAYER FOR A CITY
O Lord, we pray Thee for this, the city of our love and pride,
Help us to make our city the mighty common workshop of our people,
where everyone will find his place and task, in daily achievement
building up his own life to resolute manhood, keen to do his best with hand and mind.
Bind our citizens, not by the bond of money or of profit alone,
but by the glow of neighborly goodwill, by the thrill of common joys,
and the pride of common possessions.
Grant us a vision of our city, fair as she might be: a city of justice,
where none shall prey on others; a city of plenty, where vice and poverty shall cease to fester;
a city of brotherhood, where all success shall be founded on service,
and honor shall be given to nobleness alone; a city of peace,
where order shall not rest on force, but on the love of all for the city,
the great mother of the common life and weal.
Hear Thou, O Lord, the silent prayer of all our hearts
as we each pledge our time and strength and thought to speed the day of her coming beauty and righteousness.”

-Walter Rauschenbusch 1861-1918