Robert A. Nelson

The Right Reverend Robert Nelson Spencer (1877–1961) was a prominent American prelate of The Episcopal Church who served as the third Bishop of the Diocese of West Missouri from 1930 until his retirement in 1949.

While his daily life was defined by the administrative and pastoral oversight of midwestern parishes, Spencer left an indelible mark on global ecumenical hymnody. He is famously recognized as the author who updated the legendary "Navy Hymn" to protect travelers traversing the land and air, broadening its scope for the modern machine age.

Academic Roots and Midwestern Ministry

Born on February 18, 1877, in Tunnel, New York, Spencer pursued his higher education at Dickinson College before traveling west to attend the Kansas Theological School, graduating in 1904.

Ordained as an Episcopal priest in 1905, he spent his early ministry in a variety of vital midwestern settings:

• Fort Riley, Kansas (1904–1907): Served as a special preacher to the military base, giving him an early appreciation for the spiritual needs of armed service personnel.

• Springfield and Kansas City, Missouri (1907–1930): Spent over two decades as a beloved local rector, notably leading Grace and Holy Trinity Church in Kansas City (which later became the diocesan cathedral).

• Chaplaincy (1923–1930): Served concurrently as the chaplain for St. Luke's Hospital, directly comforting those facing physical illness and trauma.

In May 1930, Spencer’s leadership was recognized when he was elected Coadjutor Bishop of West Missouri. Due to the sudden death of the diocesan bishop just a month later, he stepped straight into the primary seat, guiding the diocese through the economic hardships of the Great Depression and the turbulent years of World War II.

Expanding the Safe Harbor: The Modern "Eternal Father"

In 1860, William Whiting penned the iconic hymn "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" (set to John B. Dykes' stirring tune MELITA). It became widely known across the English-speaking world as the "Navy Hymn," deeply woven into British and American maritime traditions. However, Whiting's original text focused exclusively on safety for "those in peril on the sea."

In 1937, as commercial flight, military aviation, and automotive travel transformed global transportation, Bishop Spencer realized that modern travelers faced entirely new frontiers of danger. Commissioned to expand the hymn for modern usage, Spencer preserved Whiting’s opening Trinitarian call to the Father and the closing stanza of praise, but completely rewrote the interior stanzas.

His verses seamlessly redirected prayers to the land and the sky:

Stanza 2 (The Land)

"O Christ, the Lord of hill and plain

O'er which our traffic runs amain

By mountain pass or valley low;

Wherever, Lord, Thy loved ones go,

Protect them by Thy guarding hand

From every peril on the land."

Stanza 3 (The Air)

"O Spirit, whom the Father sent

To spread abroad the firmament;

O Wind of heaven, by Thy might

Save all who dare the eagle's flight,

And keep them by Thy watchful care

From every peril in the air."

Spencer's brilliant modernization allowed the historic text to transition seamlessly into twentieth-century hymnals. Today, his specific land and air stanzas are standard alternatives found across Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Episcopal hymn books whenever the congregation prays for travelers, missionaries, or military personnel.

Sacramental Poetry: Confirmation Verse

Beyond his work on the Navy Hymn, Spencer's liturgical sensitivity shone through his original poetry. In 1939, he penned the hymn "O heavenly grace in holy rite descending," specifically written to be sung during the sacramental laying on of hands at Confirmation services. Featured prominently in The Episcopal Hymnal 1940, the text captures the solemnity of youth and adults renewing their baptismal vows:

"Here as they pledge to follow thee as Saviour,

Jesus their Lord, who for the Church hath died;

So may they live with that blest behavior,

Thou hast enjoined, and they have ratified."

Death and Living Memorials

Bishop Spencer passed away on August 19, 1961, at the age of 84 in Ludington, Michigan, and was laid to rest at Forest Hill Calvary Cemetery in Kansas City. His legacy in the city he spent forty years serving continues to live on through Bishop Spencer Place, a premier episcopal senior living community named in his honor. Through his forward-thinking additions to hymnody, Spencer ensured that as humanity advanced into the skies and across highways, their songs of praise would keep pace.