When Rev. Babcock lived in Lockport, New York, he took frequent walks along the Niagara Escarpment to enjoy the overlook's panoramic vista of upstate New York scenery and Lake Ontario, telling his wife Katherine he was "going out to see the Father's world".[1]
He died in 1901 at age 42. Shortly after his death Katherine published a compilation of Babcock's writings entitled Thoughts for Every-Day Living that contained the poem "My Father's World".[2]
The original poem contained sixteen stanzas of four lines each.[3] The poem was set to music in 1915 by Franklin L. Sheppard, a close friend of Babcock. The tune name, TERRA BEATA, means
Lasting joy is found in keeping the commandments of God.
His commandments, found in the gospel of Jesus Christ,
are given by Him
to bring you joy.
They are not burdensome
but burden lifting.
If you fail for a time to keep the commandments,
you can turn around,
reject the bitter,
and once again pursue the good through repentance,
which is made possible by Jesus Christ
through His atoning sacrifice.
"And remember also the words which Amulek spake unto Zeezrom, in the city of Ammonihah; for he said unto him that the Lord surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them in their sins,
but to redeem them from their sins.
And he hath power given unto him from the Father
to redeem them from their sins
because of repentance;
therefore he hathsenthis angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the
power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls.
"And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them."
