Kohden kunnahia: Uusia hengellisiä lauluja ja runoelmia

About this book

Kohden kunnahia by Niilo Mantere is a Finnish-language collection of spiritual hymns and devotional poems written in the early 20th century. It is a Christian hymn and poetry book that calls readers to faith, repentance, vigilance, and hope, focusing on the believer’s journey through trials toward heavenly joy.

The pieces draw heavily on Scripture and church life: opening with a meditation on Psalm 121 and continuing with prayers for youth, songs for Christian associations, a wedding hymn, a diaconess song, and morning and evening prayers. Repeated themes include grace unearned through Christ’s atonement, comfort amid storms, and endurance “through suffering to glory,” illustrated by biblical scenes such as Moriah, Gethsemane, Golgotha, Peter walking on water, Patmos, and the coming Bridegroom. There are seasonal songs for Sunday, Christmas, and Easter, missionary appeals, and national prayers for Finland and its schools (notably the Liminka Folk High School). Many texts are marked to familiar melodies, moving between exhortation, confession, and praise, and the collection culminates in an ordination poem that faces social turmoil and urges steadfast proclamation of the Gospel.