I Will Be a Child of Peace is an arrangement of the Shaker hymn tune,

O Holy Father, which has been attributed to Alonzo Gilman of the Shaker Community in Alfred, Maine in 1851. Shaker music was traditionally sung in unison and without accompaniment, with men on the left and women on the right. This arrangement echoes those voices of the past, with each stanza starting with unison—first by the women, followed by the men, then unfolding into full five-part harmony. I was originally drawn to this song by the beautiful simplicity of the Shaker melody, unique 5/4 meter, and most importantly, the uplifting text of a prayer for peace and purity.