Excellent hymn Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
Author: John Greenleaf Whittier (1872)
Whittier started as a shoe salesman (as did D L Moody). He was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery.
Most of the verses can be used as prayers.
There are quite a few town (and a college) named Whittier, including Whittier, IA (unincorporated), just NE of Cedar Rapids.