The Lutheran Hymnary ‎#78

78. The Church's one foundation

1 The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is His new creation
By water and the word;
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her,
And for her life He died.

2 Elect from every nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.

3 Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed;
Yet saints their watch are keeping,
Their cry goes up, “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song.

4 'Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
Till with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious
Shall be the Church at rest.

5 Yet she on earth hath union
With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won;
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace, that we,
Like them, the seek and lowly,
On high may dwell with Thee!

Text Information

• First Line: The Church's one foundation
• Author: S. J. Stone (1868)
• Meter: 7, 6, 8L.
• Publication Date: 1913
• Topic: The Church: Foundation and Nature; Church of Christ; Communion of Saints
• Notes: Now Public Domain.

Tune Information

• Name: [The Church's one foundation]
• Composer: Samuel S. Wesley (1864)
• Meter: 7, 6, 8L.
• Key: E♭ Major
• Notes: Now Public Domain.